Guiding Star
by Adamant Eve aka anna-neko
Summary: At the wake of a terrible accident, Robin vowed to stay by Starfire’s side, but as the days progressed, Robin had to ask just who needed healing and who was guiding who. COMPLETE!
1. Accident

Author's Note: Read _Wondergirl _before you read this. Thank you.

Answers to FAQ: This story was begun **before the premier of Season Three**. So yes, this takes an alternative path from the canon that's established in Season Three. There will be no evil Red X and there will be no Malchior, and there will be no sexy Tamaranian Guy in a loincloth. Okay, _maybe_ he'll show up… in the sequel. Enough talk. On with the story.

**THIS CHAPTER EDITED ON NOV. 24, 2004, WITH MANY, MANY THANKS TO ARIA-ANGEL: Your insight is invaluable and more edits are forthcoming in response to your C&Cs! **

Standard disclaimers apply.

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter One - Accident**

It was almost as if they missed the action, as much as Robin hated to admit it. The physical demands and the subsequent rush of catching bad guys had been a constant part of their lives until a few months ago.

Slade, perhaps the worse of their enemies, had been foiled in his latest grand plan, and while his disappearance had left them with many uncertainties, much of Sunny California's evil-doers seemed to have gone on indefinite leave since then, as if they were mourning his loss.

While to an extent, the Titans were grateful for the reprieve, Robin knew that two months of relative (almost deafening) silence had them asking the question: What now? Starfire had, in fact, come as far as asking him, "Robin, what do superheroes… _do_ when they don't fight super villains… _for quite some time?" _

Robin had no trouble thinking up a possible career for a tall, long-legged, green-eyed beauty with fabulous red hair, but he hadn't felt like making the suggestion at the time.

Robin himself had seriously given some thought to a career change at least once; dallying on territory he hadn't dared return to during most of his Titan life. It involved a bat and a cave, so of course, he quickly abandoned that idea, but the rest of the Titans had expressed similar apprehensions in their own way.

Cyborg had of late been engrossed in creating terribly mundane gizmos (most of them failures, except maybe for the Burger Blaster, which proved to be a success for at least sixteen hours.). The huge half-human, half-robot had been scouring the mechanical corners of eBay to find the parts he needed, and as Cyborg blew electronics up more frequently, Robin constantly prayed for the integrity of the Titan Tower, should one of Cyborg's ventures prove to be more explosive than the structure could handle. Starfire told Robin that Cyborg was also suddenly showing a great interest in _Channel Mart,_ a home TV shopping network for "rather odd _glarmerfaggles_ that seems to cater to lazy people." Starfire's words, not his.

Raven, in her turn, had gone into some sort of book binge. Her small collection of literature had grown to sizeable stacks, and she disappeared for hours on end into some quiet corner to read each and every one of them. Robin could have sworn that Raven's skin grew paler, and her hair even blacker.

Raven's books mostly looked old and decrepit, one or two strangely reminiscent of dog-chewed school texts, but Robin was inclined _not_ to be so curious. He had no intention of trying to figure out Raven's _weirder_ side. Besides, he didn't want to get his head blown off in case Raven thought him too nosy. He would leave the snooping to Starfire. Raven was much more comfortable with Starfire, anyway. Starfire would tell him what was up if it was worth telling.

And Beast Boy…

Beast Boy had, amongst all of them, seemed the most affected. Robin couldn't entirely blame him. The loss of Terra had touched them all, but perhaps none as deep as Beast Boy. The green shape-changer's laughter hadn't dwindled in the past few months, in fact, he was oddly quicker to laughter than usual. Robin was a bit worried, but so far, all the literature said that as long as the laughter didn't sound manic, there was little to be concerned about. Most of his playful habits had remained anyway, but Raven admitted that Beast Boy had become much less annoying, which wasn't to say Raven was going soft—because Starfire believed Raven already crossed her limit of mellowing long before—but because, Robin suspected, the boy was growing up. Just a little at a time, really. Nothing so earth shattering as letting Cyborg win at Tekno Warriors on their Game Station.

So when the BIG alarm sounded in the Titan Tower for the first time in two months, Starfire looked up from the ice-cream sundae they were sharing with wide-eyed astonishment.

"Robin, are your auditory sensors—"

"You're not hearing things, Starfire. We've got a nasty at large."

The Titans responded in record time, virtually colliding in the hall to get to the elevators that would take them to the Information Center.

Practically squeezing through the elevator doors all at the same time, Cyborg and Beast Boy at once fell to arguing about who their villain might be. Raven made a sarcastic remark about useless debates which subsequently led to Cyborg and Beast Boy placing bets, just to put an end to present discussions.

"I hope it is not too much of a nasty," said Starfire, squeezed between the elevator wall and Cyborg.

Robin was ashamed to admit that _no one_ said anything in agreement, not even for pretend.

As they spilled into the information center, Robin quickly punched the necessary codes to pinpoint who and where.

Robin pointed at the beacon beeping on the enlarged map on-screen. "Holi-tron and Gamers, Titans! It's a bit off—"

Beast Boy shrieked in hyena-like laughter. "Did you just say 'Holy tron and gamers, _Titans?' _Phear! There were rumors you _talked_ like that before, but _dude!" _

More laughter ensued, this time joined by Cyborg. Starfire and Raven looked mostly annoyed because they didn't get it.

Robin flashed Beast Boy and Cyborg a confused scowl. "As I was saying, the activity's coming from Holi-tron and Gamers, a laboratory just off San Francisco."

"All the way to San Jose, in Sta. Clara," said Raven amidst the burps of giggling in the background.

Starfire studied the map. "That is at least thirty minutes by land. We need air transport."

A separate window popped up on screen and information came pouring through it. They grew grim as the identity of their "nasty" became apparent: Cinderblock had come out of hiding.

Robin felt the rush of anticipation flooding through him. "We're taking the T-Chopper. Cyborg, I want you at the helm. Titans, let's fly.

* * *

The flight between Titan Tower and Sta. Clara would take no more than fifteen minutes, but Robin was worried at the kind of damage Cinderblock could cause.

As they mounted the chopper and closed themselves in against the noise of the blades, Starfire was quick with a suggestion. "I shall fly ahead and see what I can do."

Robin almost just as quickly denied it. "Negative. None of us could handle Cinderblock alone _or_ paired. I would send Raven and Beast Boy with you, but flying that far would sap Raven of energy. No way am I sending just the two of you out on your own. We'll just have to get there as quickly as we could, as a team."

Cyborg maneuvered the chopper with optimum efficiency and they arrived in Sta. Clara three minutes ahead of ETA.

The scene overlooking the five story facility was disturbing. Smoke rose in the air while people scattered to get away. The wide, C-shaped building was surrounded by fire trucks, rescue trucks, and at least two dozen squad cars. There was evidence of SWAT teams poised in strategic locations around the facility and Cyborg had to dodge two of several helicopters sharing the air with them. Beside the horizontal structure was a vertical high rise. It was only a few stories higher but distinctly separate in function. It was yet unharmed from where they could see it and it would be an ideal place for front row seats to the bedlam. At the center of the puffy black haze was Cinderblock, lumbering without direction atop the roof of the industrial facility.

"Reporters, superheroes and a super-freak on the rampage," said Raven. "I hate reporters."

Robin cocked a grin. Cinderblock was going down. "Titans, let's go!"

Cyborg unsealed the hatches on both sides of the chopper and a blast of wind shot through the opening. Starfire latched her arms around Raven and flew both of them through the air, diving towards the scene of chaos. Beast Boy and Robin jumped, the speed sending adrenaline lacing through Robin. Mid-air, Beast Boy transformed into a Pterodactyl and glided right beneath Robin for a catch.

Robin landed easily on Beast Boy's back. "Always liked you, BB," yelled Robin above the din of the wind.

BB gave a shrill cry as they swooped above the building. The smoke from below made seeing Cinderblock near impossible so the emergence of a car, hurtling towards them caught them by surprise. Cinderblock was throwing things; _big _things.

Someone shouted, "Debris!" and Robin recognized it as Starfire. There was a blast and Robin was half-shocked to find himself passing through the aftermath of the explosion. He saw car parts flying in all directions and a trail of green mist; proof that Starfire had saved his and Beast Boy's hides.

Robin gave her a thumbs-up before instructing Beast Boy to land on the highest building. There was no way they could land at ground zero.

Starfire pointed at the thickening miasma. "None of you could see through the smoke. It is too thick. I will draw him out."

Knowing there was no other way, Robin nodded. Starfire took off and Raven fell into her silent battle stance. Robin and Beast Boy hopped to the ledge of the building and awaited Cinderblock's emergence.

There was a blast, and then a roar. Cinderblock fell through the smoke and toppled off the building, landing on the grassy quadrangle of the building's inner complex. Starfire shot out after him, a ball of green and orange fire that swooped over and above his sprawled form.

Robin was quick to action. He flung himself from the edge, jumping over and swinging around flagpoles. He grabbed explosives from his belt and released them, having them detonate at Cinderblock's feet. Chips of cement flew in all directions. He made a quick turn and threw his utility rope, the birdarang spinning around Cinderblock's legs. He fell with a crash.

It served to enrage the hulking mass predictably enough, but to Robin's astonishment, he broke free. There was a snap, followed by the whistle of whipping rope.

"Whoa!" Robin ducked and he barely missed the backlash.

Beast Boy, taking the form of a rhinoceros, charged straight into the rock monster's gut.

Cinderblock went flying back with an almost ear-splitting yowl, a large crack forming in his midsection.

Amazingly enough, Cinderblock recovered from this too, and ripping a colossal block of cement from the side of the building, he hurled it straight at Beast Boy.

Robin heard a familiar chant and the slab splattered against a wall of crackling energy just before it hit him. The relief was evident in Beast Boy's expression.

"He is strong," said Starfire above the din.

Raven shrugged. "He always has been."

"No, he is strong_er. _It is as if we could not affect him."

Robin watched as Cinderblock poised himself to charge at them again. He understood what Starfire was saying. "He's made of the same stuff and we _have_ affected him, but it's like his mind has gone berserk. He doesn't care if he's damaged, he just wants to fight."

Cinderblock attacked and one by one, the titans met him with what they had. Fireballs, bombs, energy blasts and the massive, swinging tail of a brontosaurus, but nothing prevailed.

From out of the smoke overhead, Cyborg suddenly emerged and met Cinderblock head-on with a downward punch, burying Cinderblock's face into the ground.

There was a low, frightening groan, and then silence.

Cyborg laughed and flexed his metallic arms. "What would you fools do without me?"

Raven arched an eyebrow sardonically. "I could think of _many_ things I could do without you."

Starfire swooped down ecstatically. "Bravo, Cyborg!"

Beast Boy scoffed. "Lucky hit. We pretty much had him, you know."

Tutting, Cyborg pretended to be examining his nails and polishing them on his sleeve. "Try not to act so jealous, BB."

Beast Boy scowled, and as much as Robin wanted to put in a sarcastic word or two, he had other things to worry about.

"Good job, team. Now let's get this hunk of dirt contained."

Robin was just about to radio in for back up when the sound of grinding cement halted him. Cinderblock moved and the Titans immediately jumped away from him on instinct.

He rose explosively, quicker than any of them expected, and he made a lunge for Robin.

Robin acted with almost superhuman speed, shooting his spare utility rope to anchor it on a horizontal flagpole above, but he knew, on instinct, that he was not going to make it. He would suffer a hit, and he hoped to God it wasn't fatal. He braced himself for the impact and saw Cinderblock closing in.

Suddenly there was a bright flash of green. He felt something slam on his chest, knocking the wind right out of him. He gasped for breath as heat suffused his entire body for a split heartbeat.

He landed painfully on his back, skidding against the earth and scraping the skin off his arms and elbows. His vision grew cloudy and he was aware that for a while, he blacked out.

Robin thought maybe it was the silence that woke him, but as he opened his eyes and pushed his battered body to sit up, he saw Cinderblock in the distance, half of him pulverized to dust.

He felt hands on him and Robin flinched.

"Easy, dude. I think you're going to be fine." It was Beast Boy.

Robin smirked, wincing as his ribs screamed in protest. "Yeah, well, what do _you_ know?"

There was something in Beast Boy's eyes that sent a chill right through Robin's sore bones. "W-What?"

"Robin…"

"Starfire… " Robin stood abruptly and the pain of his injuries clawed through him. He ignored Beast Boy's pleas to sit still until medical help arrived. All he could focus on was Raven and Cyborg in the distance, hunched over what he could make out as Starfire lying motionless on the grass.

Cyborg saw him coming and moved back. "I've radioed the paramedics. A couple of them should be getting here soon."

It was almost as if Robin hadn't heard him. He fell to his knees beside Starfire, shocked at how she looked. The right half of her face was _turning _into one big Tamaranian bruise and blood gushed in alarmingly great quantities from her nose. She was still, and she was breathing, but she looked to be on the very verge of death. What were they doing? Why were they just standing around? Shouldn't they be bringing her—_somewhere?_

"Don't," said Raven, blocking Robin who was already reaching to gather Starfire in his arms. "We saw her take the hit. Cinderblock got her in the head. It's bad enough that we already moved her…"

Panic rose in him and for a split second, he felt like screaming at all of them for not caring enough, but with monumental self-control, he took several deep breaths to compose himself.

"We wait for the paramedics." He didn't know how he managed to say it.

Everything else after that seemed like a blur to Robin. The paramedics came and began strapping the necessary braces on her to protect her spine. They secured her to a gurney, reciting medical jargon that Robin could only understand in parts.

Robin wanted to grab himself a paramedic and demand for a prognosis, but he restrained himself, giving instructions over his shoulder to the rest of the Titans while following the gurney as it was wheeled away.

* * *

Robin stared wanly at Starfire's unmoving form on the hospital bed. His eyes were blood shot behind the mask and his black hair was more of a mess than usual. The bandages around his arms and body needed replacing and he smelled like eucalyptus. He hadn't eaten all day and the truth of the matter was he didn't think he had the energy to do anything else but sit and wait.

Starfire's coma was going on its fourth day, and while three of those days had been spent gathering facts and examining clues concerning the attack, there wasn't much to go on when the prime suspect was practically blown to smithereens. No motive to Cinderblock's outrage was apparent. He had simply appeared at the toy research center and went postal, killing half a dozen scientists when he came crashing through the topmost floor.

When Robin and the others had exhausted all possible leads, it finally dawned on them, more so on Robin: Starfire was in a coma. And when they asked how she would fare; if she was going to wake up, all the doctor could say was, "It's hard to tell, with her."

They may as well have said, "We've never treated a Tamaranian before, so it's all trial and error now."

Robin wasn't sure how he'd cope now that the work was done and there was nothing left to distract him. The other Titans were obviously careful about what they told him regarding the accident, which only confirmed his fears: Starfire took the hit _for him. _The blast of heat he had felt in battle had come from her. To push him out of harm's way, her only option had been to hit him with a starbolt and it was probably the only reason he may have survived.

"She knew she could take the hit better than you can," Beast Boy had said.

It did _not_ help his mental state at all.

The bruising on Starfire's face had all but healed now and Robin hoped that it meant she healed just as quickly everywhere else.

_She has to be alright._

Burying his face in his hands, he took a page out of Raven's book and tried to find his center. He focused on positive thoughts, remembering Starfire when she was in perfect health; blushing and vibrant. He recalled the talk he had with her in the Titan Tower; how uplifted he felt when she told him, "… I do take comfort in the fact that the boy of wonder looks out for me, not only because I am his teammate, but because I am his friend."

He exhaled, feeling a thin blanket of calm. He was glad it was working.

Robin focused on even nicer thoughts: Holding her hand; seeing her in a pink prom dress; riding beside her on the Ferris wheel…

He opened his eyes, comforted, but one look at Starfire's pale, sleeping face, the luster gone from her fiery red hair and plastic tubes snaking from her extremities, he fell back into instant despair.

What was he supposed to do without her? She was his lighthouse in the dark, remember? And she was _supposed _to stick around. What in _HELL_ was he going to do now?

He shook his head and closed his eyes against the glare of the fluorescent, massaging his brow with his thumb and forefinger. His head hurt.

_Someone should turn down the damn lights in this joint. _

"And the point of your hunger strike is?"

Robin recognized the sarcasm without need of looking. "I'm not hungry."

He opened his eyes and saw Raven, hand to her hip. He couldn't see her face, but he could almost feel Raven's disapproval.

"You're my leader," she said flatly. "So start living by example. Stop being such an emotional wimp."

Robin shot her a glare but faltered under her stead gaze. "Fine. What do you have?"

Raven shoved a paper bag in his hands. Mickey Ds, of course.

"Where are Cyborg and Beast Boy?" he asked as he fished a burger from the bag.

"There was an All the Slices You Can Eat at the Pizza Hut…"

Robin grumbled something unintelligible as he bit into his burger.

Raven stared at him a moment. "You know—" She paused, sitting beside him.

"What?"

"You can't hide it from me. I live repression. I _am_ repression, so you might as well say what you have to say. Unlike me, unleashing your emotions is good for you."

His eyes narrowed, and in a fit of rebellion, he thought he'd be stubborn and prove her wrong by denying it. But Raven's words had struck sooner than he was prepared for, and before he could stop himself—he stood, clenched his fists and started yelling. "How could you all just hang around, stuffing your faces with pizza? Don't any of you care for Starfire at all? Beast Boy comes in here making his stupid jokes and Cy just encourages him by laughing every effing time! And you! Can't you, for once, _feel _something? You and Starfire are supposed to be close friends, aren't you? What the hell is wrong with all you people? You're all a bunch of insensitive, apathetic uncaring jerks and I hate you all!"

Raven merely stared at him dispassionately while his chest heaved with anger. The beeping of Starfire's monitors marked the silence that followed and slowly, he matched the cadence of his breathing to it, easing to normalcy.

Robin's shoulders slackened and he collapsed back in his chair. He looked at his hand and saw that the burger had been crushed beyond recognition. He chucked the burger into the paper bag and groaned.

Raven arched an eyebrow. "Feel better?"

"No. I feel horrible saying those things. You suck as a therapist."

Raven shrugged. "Sorry. But we _do_ care about Starfire, just so you know."

"I know you care about Starfire. I just said that because I feel like sh—"

Someone moaned, and it didn't sound like Raven. Robin bolted from his seat and went immediately to Starfire's side. Raven was at the other side just as quickly.

Starfire squirmed, eyes pinching. "Ouch…"

Robin watched her with concern. "Starfire?"

"I feel like an _oogerbarkulf_ ran me over…"

Relief washed over him. So far, she sounded like she was going to make it. He took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Raven, please go get a nurse. Tell them Starfire's awake."

Robin saw the briefest of smiles on Raven's lips as she nodded and left the room.

For the first time in three days, he found it in himself to muster a chuckle. "You currently hold the Titan Record for longest hours slept, Star." He took a cup of water from the bedside table and un-extended the retractable straw.

Star sipped slowly and swallowed, taking a moment to catch her breath before she spoke. "How long was I in stasis?"

"Three days, going on four."

She smiled weakly. "I beat Cyborg's record by at least sixty six hours. How exciting! Ouch…" Slowly, she opened her eyes.

"Easy…" He grinned, ecstatic that she was going to be alright.

A shocked expression began to settle on her face, her mouth dropping open as she blinked several times. Something was wrong.

Robin's hands went cold. "What's wrong?"

"Richard," she said in whisper, her voice trembling. "I… I couldn't see anything. _I couldn't_ _see anything."_

Shock rippling through him. He stared and saw the frantic movement of her eyes, desperate; searching. It twisted his insides in newfound anguish.

The light overhead bounced off every shiny surface of the room, bathing everything in a hospital-sanitized sheen; everything, except Starfire's eyes.

To be continued.

* * *

Closing notes: I do suggest that you read _Darkfire_ after this chapter. It's not a bad side-story to this saga.


	2. Helpless

Author's Note: Just to remind readers… in _Wondergirl_Robin was going on seventeen, but time has lapsed since then, so he is seventeen now, going on eighteen. I've been thinking about Starfire's personality in the series and it occurred to me that she's almost perfect. She has her insecurities, yes, but she's beautiful and smart and kind, so she could get rather one dimensional if she goes on like that forever. So maybe this little accident of hers would be a good thing, right? At least, that's what I want to happen.

Standard disclaimers apply.

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: Due thanks to Aria-Angel. More edits forth-coming. Of course, your insight is still most welcome. :)**

* * *

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Two - Helpless**

"What is—why is this--?"

He didn't know how he found the voice to speak, but he did. "Just—Just try to calm down." He didn't know how she was going to do it under the circumstances, but it was the best thing he could say to her right now. He was completely at a loss.

"I…" Her voice trailed and he saw her brows knitting. Her grip on his hand tightened and her lips tensed, the smile completely gone. The rhythm of her heart began to gain speed, registering as high-pitched beats on the electrocardiograph. "Richard!"

There was a high-pitched, panicked timbre to her tone, and it struck him—hard. He was supposed to be her leader. He was supposed to be prepared for anything, but now, he hadn't the slightest clue of what to do.

He heard a familiar voice coming from outside and knew that Raven was coming with the nurse.

_Not now. Not yet. _

He had to go to the door. He had to tell Raven that Starfire needed more time, and perhaps the nurse could take a look at her later, but Starfire's grip hardened like iron and he didn't have the heart to leave her alone now.

Her brow furrowed, "Robin," she said, her lower lip shaking. The beats of her heart reached a strobe-like crescendo. "I… I think I am damaged. Robin, I… I think I am _blind."_

Nothing but the sound of the EKG pervaded the room.

She had said it and finally, reality bit a shark.

There was a shuffle of cloth and Robin realized that Raven was standing at the door, for once at a loss for words.

It felt as if that horrible moment had stretched for a lifetime, but it couldn't have been more than a few seconds.

The nurse certainly didn't look shocked. With complete command of her faculties, the nurse promptly informed them that she would call the doctor. She said she would be back shortly with Starfire's attending physician, Doctor Peii.

It was likely none of them really heard her.

Raven stepped into the room. "Starfire."

Starfire's head swerved, turning way past Raven. It pained Robin to see Starfire like that and no doubt it affected Raven as well because she went to Starfire and took her hand.

It was strange, both of them holding Starfire's hands.

Robin realized that as a team of superheroes, they all tended to be strong, and tough. While holding hands was okay when all was well, it seemed alien to hold a teammate's hand for actual support. There was no real need for a shoulder to cry on in the Titan Tower because no one really _cried._ Even in the worse of times, the Titans resolved issues with a pat on the shoulder, or a shrug, or sometimes yelling and maybe even a brawl or two, but _never _crying.

So as they held her, neither of them knew what to do. The irony of it was incredible; that it had to be the two most dispassionate members of the team who had to deal with perhaps the most passionate of the Titans.

She didn't cry, but her breath quivered, and she looked like she was going to burst any second. Raven's hands glowed ever so slightly, and with it, Starfire's heartbeat stabilized. Robin could only assume Raven was using her powers to calm Starfire down. He was glad that at least one of them knew what to do.

Starfire sniffed, tears beginning to collect in her eyes. He didn't want to see Starfire crying; it was too painful. He should embrace her, really. His mother used to do that when he cried as a little kid; surely Starfire would appreciate that kind of support, but then it was awkward now, with the cumbersome hospital bed and the tangling tubes.

He saw tissue, and however lame he knew it would be, he took the box and put it beside her on the bed. He led her hand to the ply sticking out of the box and almost reluctantly released his hold on her.

Starfire took a tissue and pre-empted the fall of her tears. "I—" She took deep breaths to compose herself and steady her speech. "I should not despair, yet. My condition could be temporary? I may recover my eyesight. It is completely possible."

For a moment, her words actually made him feel better and one look at Raven showed that Starfire had the same effect on her.

They were a couple of idiots, Raven and he. Shouldn't they be the ones trying to comfort Starfire?

"It _is_ possible," said Robin. He expelled a deep breath and run a hand through his hair. There was still hope, wasn't there?

_But what if there wasn't?_

_That_ possibility couldn't be discounted.

A lead weight dropped in his stomach and Robin seriously believed he was going to be sick.

Raven looked grave. She released Starfire's hand and went to the corner of the room, near the window. Robin thought she was going to meditate, but she didn't. She merely sat and took measured breaths.

Somehow, Starfire recovered her signature smile, though she still trembled slightly. "Did we kick _the butt_ of Cinderblock?"

Robin nodded wearily, fighting back his own feelings of grief and shock, at least for the meantime. "Yes, we did. Actually, there's hardly anything of him left."

"He's dead." Raven couldn't have gotten any blunter than that.

Starfire gasped. "Did I…?"

"No," Raven said. "I did. Blew him to bits. You know how I get."

Robin watched Raven's expression. There was nothing to suggest how she felt about blowing up Cinderblock. Even if the guy was made of pure concrete, there had to be something _humanoid_ about him. It was like that eighties movie Beast Boy rented called _Short Circuit. _The robot, No. 5, was just really a robot that got short circuited into gaining human attributes. He was just a pile of tin and circuits, but as they watched the cheap effects and heard the cheesy lines, they rooted for No. 5. They didn't want No. 5 turned off.

Granted, Cinderblock was no lovable No. 5, there was something living about him that none of them could deny. So how was Raven taking it? Did she feel like she had actually killed someone?

It was evident enough that Starfire hadn't liked the idea that she may have been responsible for Cinderblock's death, but that was expected of her.

There was a commotion in the hallway and Robin could hear Beast Boy's familiar laughter echoing as they got nearer.

Cyborg and Beast Boy appeared at the door with a box of pizza.

Beast Boy's grin widened. "You're awake! About time!"

Cyborg, holding the box, cocked a smile. "You hungry? We got pizza."

Starfire shook her head.

Beast Boy perched on the edge of the bed at Starfire's feet. "Robin, you so missed half of your life by not having lunch with us. Cyborg was going through pizza slices like there was no tomorrow! And then at one point, Cyborg pretended he was going to throw up and Pizza Hut looked like they were finally going to be rid of him, but then Cyborg was just messing around and he went on eating. It was like—psyche! Man, they _had_ to throw Cyborg out, or they'd have gone out of business!"

Cyborg grinned. "Twenty one slices. Booyah! Am I sick or what!"

Robin nodded, distracted. "Yeah."

"You must be." It was nice to hear Raven's sardonic tone.

Starfire giggled softly. "In my planet, contests such as those were held. The one who ate the most cups of boogerworms won."

Beast Boy collapsed in laughter. _"Boo-ger!"_

Cyborg's lips curled. "Now that's sick, yo. I mean, lit'rally."

Robin felt his headache suddenly getting worse and he could only imagine how Starfire felt with all the noise. He knew Cyborg and Beast Boy were just glad Starfire was awake, but they couldn't even tell something was wrong. He was just about to tell them to shut up when Beast Boy suddenly stopped laughing and gave Starfire a curious stare.

Cyborg arched an eyebrow, noticing Beast Boy's strange behavior. "What?"

Beast Boy inched a bit closer to Starfire. "Star?"

She raised an inquiring eyebrow at him, her weary gaze looking past him.

Beast Boy's eyes widened. "Star… what--? What's Cinderblock done to you?"

She smiled wanly. "Well, I seemed to have suffered some kind of visual impairment…"

Beast Boy swallowed. He was familiar with Starfire's speech patterns. That and the vacant look in her eyes told him all he needed to know. He knew what she meant. "Nothing at all, Star? Couldn't you… couldn't you at least…?"

"No. There is nothing."

Cyborg frowned and shot Robin a glare. For a moment, Robin thought Cyborg was going to blame him, and he would take it, because the guilt had been there for days, but Cyborg merely said, "What have the doctors said?"

"We're still waiting for the doctor to come over and examine her."

Beast Boy slumped in his seat and gave one of his pitiful wails. He promptly transformed into a cat and curled up on Starfire's lap, whipping his fluffy green tail.

Starfire cooed delightedly as she felt the dowdy fur on her arm, petting Beast Boy from head to spine and scratching him delicately behind the ears.

Raven frowned. "Is that even sanitary?"

Robin was actually glad of Beast Boy's sensibilities. The shape-changer _hated_ being treated like a pet because really, he wasn't one, but he did it for Starfire, and Robin appreciated the gesture. "Probably not, but go figure. He makes a cute kitty, anyway."

Beast Boy mewed and began to purr, closing his eyes languidly.

Raven arched an eyebrow but said nothing.

The doctor arrived with the nurse as her escort. Everyone knew Dr. Peii by now. She had been attending Starfire's case since she was wheeled into the hospital and the Titans thought her approachable enough. She looked rather severe at first glance, her long, straight ebony hair tied in a somewhat tight ponytail, but she smiled pleasantly at everyone through her slit almond eyes, reminding them that she was quite friendly. She headed straight for Starfire and paused at the sight of Beast Boy.

Robin knew what was coming. "Sorry." He picked Beast Boy by the scruff of his neck and Beast Boy yowled, hissing and spitting as Robin tossed him to the floor.

Beast Boy popped to his feet. "Hey! What's the big—" He paused when he saw the doctor and a blush promptly glowed through the green of his complexion.

It was the first time Dr. Peii had witnessed Beast Boy transform, but perhaps deciding that things were better left unexplained, she shook it off and addressed Starfire. "Hello Ms. Kori Anders, I am Doctor Peii. I have been facilitating your treatment since you first arrived. It's nice to finally have you back with us. How are you feeling?"

Robin wondered about the name. How the heck did the hospital come up with Kori Anders? Then he remembered one of the paramedics asking him about Starfire's name and he had said _Koriand'r_The paramedic must have heard wrong and filled up the information sheet based on it.

Starfire took a moment before replying, not bothering to correct the doctor. "My head is painful, and one side of my body feels sore. Also, I… I could see nothing…" A small knot formed on her brow and then disappeared, just as quickly.

Robin exchanged looks with Raven. It was amazing how calmly Starfire was taking it.

"Nurse Brooke informed me about that. We'll try to find out exactly what has caused it, alright? At least you're fully responsive as of this moment. That's a good sign." She made a note on her clipboard. "I'm prescribing acetaminophen for your headaches and the soreness. If that doesn't work, I'll upgrade you to ibuprofens. So tell the nurse if there's any discomfort at all. As for your eye-sight… "

Everyone listened intently.

"Do you see anything at all? Outlines? Shadows? Maybe a haze of light?"

Starfire shook her head.

Dr. Peii frowned. "There have been cases where a patient suffers blindness after severe head trauma, and most of the time, the condition is temporary. Though the blindness could last from days to months, in both cases, we could tell what's causing the condition." There was a moment of silence, as if Dr. Peii was forming the proper words. "In your case, the MRI and CT-scans showed no cortical damage. You had no penetrating injuries, nor were there any obvious depressed fractures to your occipital lobe. There were no clots… there wasn't even a linear skull fracture. Even comatose, you did well on the Glasgow Coma Score. As far as we could tell, your Optic Tracts are intact; nothing was severed. Based on all of that, I could only deduce that your injuries are retinal. In that case, I'd have to refer you to our Ophthalmologist. He'll be able to determine the extent of the damage and why this has happened."

The medical jargon was difficult to follow; Robin could tell by the blank faces surrounding him, but Starfire was nodding grimly. She may be a little slow on social nuances and figurative speech, but her depth of information regarding textbook topics was amazing.

"I understand," she said. "Doctor Peii, from what I know of retinal damage, the treatments are… limited. Am I correct?"

Dr. Peii seemed astonished by this. She looked visibly uncomfortable. "Well… there are studies—"

"All of which are rather inconclusive," Starfire finished for her.

Dr. Peii made a barely audible sigh. "Yes."

There was a collective sound of despair in the room, emanating from all but Starfire.

Robin suddenly felt furious with himself. Starfire wouldn't be in this condition if it hadn't been for him. There were hundreds of possible maneuvers that could have been more effective to save himself, but he had to go choose the one that compelled Starfire to take the hit for him.

"But Ms. Anders, there's a lot of uncertainty regarding your case. You're… well, we've never treated anyone like you, before. Our knowledge is limited to treating—um, Earthlings. I will be making some calls on that respect. Maybe not all hope is lost."

"Maybe." Starfire smiled, but Robin could tell it was forced for the benefit of the doctor.

Dr. Peii rose, telling her to get some rest. She recommended another forty-eight hours of confinement and observation.

She caught sight of Robin before she left the room and gave him a stern stare. "And you, Mr. Robin-the-Boy-Wonder, need to get some rest. You're too young to look so old."

"I'm going on eighteen," Robin muttered rebelliously.

"Like I said, too young. I order you to go to the nurse's station for some prescribed sedatives. Tell them that Dr. Peii sent you, okay?"

Grudgingly, Robin nodded.

When Dr. Peii was gone, Cyborg sighed. "Shorty, I didn't understand half of what that doctor said, but you shouldn't give up easy. You know that, don't you?"

Beast Boy nodded. "Yeah, and what about transplants? I've heard that those things work."

Raven made a sound of derisiveness from her seat. "Eye transplants are limited to the cornea, Beast Boy. It is as far a solution for Starfire's condition as putting ice on her foot to cure a cut on her forehead."

Beast Boy frowned. "What's putting ice on her foot got to do with a cut on her forehead?"

"Nothing."

Beast Boy's brows knotted before comprehension eased the lines away. "Oh."

Raven rose and stepped forward. "Alright everyone, show's over. Starfire really ought to get some rest, so why don't you all just clear out—"

"Raven, apparently, I have been resting for almost four days. Is that not enough?"

Cyborg scowled. "Hey, I just remembered something: my record of sixteen straight hours of sleep! Starfire, you broke my record. Dang!"

Starfire chuckled. "It was not my intention."

"Yeah, that's for sure. But hey, I have my pizza record."

Raven crossed her arms over her chest. "Yes, you do. Are we done here? You all have to go. I'll keep Starfire company."

Robin was about to speak when Raven cut him off.

"Robin, shut up. You've barely slept in the last few days and you look like hell, so now you have to go home. _Yes, go home."_

He resented Raven taking charge. Starfire had always been _his _concern. _He_ was Starfire's best friend. "She just woke up! I'm not going home."

"Listen, _boy,_ you're not looking particularly 'wonderful' from where I'm standing and you need to wash off some of that stale Ben Gay, because _damn…_"

Beast Boy and Cyborg fell to hysterics.

This caught Robin slightly off-guard. "Seriously?" He peered at Starfire, almost for confirmation.

Of course, she made no response. She didn't know he was looking, but Raven nodded. "Yeah."

Defeated, both by Raven's bluntness and the reality that there was nothing he could do for Starfire now, he sighed and reluctantly agreed. Perhaps a good night's sleep would put him in better spirits.

"I'll be here first thing in the morning, Star," he promised, giving her hand a last squeeze.

She smiled. "I shall be looking forward to it."

"Robin, you ought to look into the medication Dr. Peii prescribed for you," said Raven. "I wasn't kidding when I said you looked like hell."

"Believe me, I know you weren't kidding."

He headed for the door but was stopped mid-way when Starfire called him. "Yeah?"

"Be here as early as you can."

He tried not to sound so pleased by the request. "Of course."

Robin left with Cyborg and Beastboy. He _did_ heed Raven's suggestion and dropped by at the nurse's station. He told the nurse behind the counter that Dr. Peii sent him. She was quick to provide him treatment: A glass of warm milk. Inevitably, his companions rolled with laughter, telling "little boy" jokes and how he must miss his mommy. Robin dealt them a glare, but he drank the milk anyway. He'd be damned before he let them think that they got to him.

He didn't know if it was just the milk, or perhaps something mixed in it, but by the time Cyborg was driving them over the Bay in his amphibious T-car, Robin could barely keep his eyes open. It felt like he was drunk on something and all he wanted to do was lie down and pass out in his own coma.

He couldn't remember being dragged in and dumped unceremoniously on his bed. All he could recall was saying something about Starfire and Beast Boy telling him, "Dude, we _so _know that already!"

When he finally allowed himself to drift off, there was no waking him until the next day.

_To be continued…_

* * *


	3. Reaching Out

Author's notes: More angst. Oh, and what did Robin say during his milk-induced stupor? Well, I may never answer that in writing, but I know exactly what he said in my mind. Go use your imaginations and supply an answer for yourself.

Standard disclaimers apply.

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.**

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Three – Reaching Out**

Robin peeled his eyes open and promptly panicked.

He jumped to his feet, yelled a battle cry and went into defensive stance.

A few seconds later, he realized he knew this place and that he smelled like stale Ben Gay.

He groaned; he was at home.

Vaguely, he remembered riding home in an amphibious car and nothing else thereafter. He figured Cyborg must have carried him in and deposited him, shoes, uniform and all, on his bed.

He winced. He wasn't even able to brush his teeth.

_Ugh. _

Rubbing the grit from his eyes, he looked at the time: It was five in the morning.

Making calculations in his head, he realized that he must have slept for at least seven hours, considering they left the hospital just a bit past nine. There had to be something in the milk, or else he wouldn't have been able to sleep that long, or got knocked out that easily, anyway.

He took his much needed shower and replaced his bandages. Dressing in a fresh uniform, he felt renewed, and he had to admit that he did need the sleep. He would go see Starfire for the rest of the morning, but he would have to return to the Tower with most of the team. As much as he wanted to spend time with Starfire, especially during this ordeal, even _she_ would scold him if he was negligent of his responsibilities.

Before leaving, he grabbed a quick (and stale) bite from the kitchen and for the nth time since Starfire was confined to the hospital, he missed having her around. She definitely owned the kitchen. She may not always cook edible meals, but it worked for her; everyone else just blew stuff up in it.

_Which reminds me, _he thought, catching sight of a blackened, unrecognizable mass on the counter._ Someone has to go get a new George Foreman grill…_

Heaven forbid Cyborg got the bright idea for a Burger Blaster II.

He went to the garage and stopped to look at his brand new 999R-Cycle. It wasn't like his original R-Cycle; it was way better, but why was he so reluctant to use it?

Remembering the day it was delivered, everyone ooh-ed and aah-ed while it was rolled into the garage. Cyborg, especially, looked love sick. He was drooling all over the place, but Robin had been impassive.

The original R-Cycle was something he earned. He worked and kicked bad-guy ass under Batman's workshop and made the cycle his own. It was so valuable to him that he was still reeling from the time Johnny Rancid wrecked it.

_That was one tragic episode,_ he thought with a shake of his head.

The 999R-Cycle _wasn't_ earned; it was _given_, by Bruce Wayne, no less. It certainly didn't look like something insurance would spring for.

While Richard Grayson was grateful to Bruce Wayne, the biggest reason Robin separated himself from Batman was because Gotham's number one superhero wasn't very good at trusting partners.

He and Bruce didn't really separate as enemies; in fact, he still received invitations to swanky, Gotham-high-society openings, and twice he dropped by (without having RSVP-ed), just to tell Bruce in his private office, "Hey, just passing through. Don't intend to stay long. Just didn't want you to think I was snubbing you or anything." Considering Gotham was six hours away from the Titan Tower by plane, that meant a lot.

It was just that Robin wanted to prove to Batman that he could do things on his own, that he could be depended on too, so most times, Robin resented getting unsolicited help from Bruce Wayne. Besides, one of the few things he and Bruce agreed on was the separation; it was a set-up they had both come to terms with.

But then Bruce sends the suped-up, mercury-finish cycle, with the R-logo funkensteined and the overall design hotter than the devil in Las Vegas. What was the sense in that?

Only once, since it was delivered, has he taken it for a spin, and only because Starfire had _begged _him_—no,_ employed underhanded tactics—to take her. Ordinarily, Starfire wouldn't have to beg him for anything, but this was different. Not even for Starfire did he want anything to do with the 999R-Cycle. It didn't matter that she smiled and teased and batted her beautiful green eyes at him; he didn't budge and he told her there was nothing she could do that would convince him. But he underestimated her. He was capable of ignoring her: "Could I get you a refreshing beverage, Robin?" and her: "Perhaps you would like me to fluff that pillow, boy of wonder," but he was totally unprepared for, "Robiiiin… perhaps I should turn _glempork_and start calling you _Robbie poo…"_

God, he _hated_ that nickname. He could have sworn something evil had glinted in Starfire's eyes when she made that last ditch effort. It was low, and it got her what she wanted, but as it turned out, it wasn't all that bad. His hormones managed to convince him that having a babe on ones bike with her arms wrapped around him was a good thing. It helped too that they spent a few hours in the Warf eating fish-sticks. But _still, _that was the last time the 999R-Cycle had been used and _nothing_ could convince him to use the bike again.

He turned to the T-car and cocked a grin. "Sorry, Cy, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."

He hopped into the car, found the key in the overhead flap and thrust it through the ignition.

Cyborg was going to kill him.

The thought made him smirk.

* * *

When he got to the hospital, it was six o'clock. Starfire was asleep and Raven was floating in the corner, reading a book.

Raven looked up and raised an eyebrow. "It's too early."

"So shoot me."

"Too many possible witnesses. But since you're here, we may as well grab some breakfast. Hospital food sucks."

Robin shook his head. "I already had breakfast. You go on ahead. I'll stay here in case Starfire wakes up."

She shrugged and lowered herself to the floor. "Suit yourself."

She left, promising to be back as soon as she could.

He took a seat and saw the unread issue of _MTV Magazine_ Beast Boy brought over the other day. He picked it up and flipped through the pages. He came upon an article entitled _Third Eye Blind: Haven't Seen You In a While…_

Gritting his teeth, he skipped _that_ article. He went to the tid-bits section and read, "...there's a rumor that D-O-Double Gizzle is going to launch a campaign against smoking pot. Isn't that like the blind leading the blind?"

Taking a deep breath to control his annoyance, he flipped again but gave up when he saw a promo giving away "Daredevil" DVDs with the words "Justice is blind," splayed at the bottom.

He did, however, momentarily wonder how Matt Murdock was taking it.

Robin tossed the magazine aside.

Starfire stirred. "Raven?"

He went to her. "Raven's out. Had breakfast. You're stuck with me, kid, at least until the next hour."

"Richard! I am glad you are here. It must be very early."

"Six a.m. Did I wake you? Sorry about that."

She grinned, reaching for something on the bedside table. "No, you did not wake me. I have been sleeping and waking in the last few hours. When ones body has had almost four days worth of sleep, one could not blame it for rebelling. Richard, might I request for the water cup…" He gave it to her and she sighed, her breath trembling. Tears threatened to spill before she blinked them back. "I am sorry I have to ask these little things. I am not yet used to… _this._ I will learn to do things by myself eventually, but in the meantime…"

He frowned. "Don't apologize. Ask anything… I beg of you, and I'll do it. Please let me do it."

She chuckled. "I have heard this tone from you before. It is very familiar. Richard Grayson, your tone is one of guilt. I am confused, because there is no reason for you to feel guilty."

How can she say that when he was the reason she was in this situation? "I know what you did for me out there. You got between me and Cinderblock, and now you're… you should have just let him hit me. You should have just—"

"What? Watched you get killed?" Her smile had disappeared. "I would never stand for such a thing. I had no intention of dying when I did what I did. It would have belittled everything you have done for me, the team and everyone else. I did it because you were in danger and because I care for you. I may have lost my eyesight, but I saved your life. That is all that matters. I would do it again, so don't you _dare_ be blaming yourself for this one, boy of wonder!"

Robin didn't exactly know how to react to that. He could only stare at her, slack-jawed.

The rigid line of her mouth eased and she sighed. "I never would have forgiven myself if something terrible had happened to you."

He relaxed a bit and took her hand. "I would say something in response to that, but you're so scary right now, I think I'll put it off."

She laughed. "I do admit that I am feeling a bit testy…"

Robin sat at the edge of the bed by her side. "In your place, I wouldn't be in a very good mood either."

"Oh, it is not so bad…"

He watched her and his heart wrenched at how sad she looked, try as she might to hide it. They had all grown so used to having her feelings painted so vividly on her face that even the subtle changes in her facial expressions, wrought by her condition, would seem like a great adjustment.

It suddenly occurred to him that Starfire's condition would need adjusting for a world of things, not just for her, but for everyone else. It would be difficult and awkward at first; simple things like movie night could be complicated.

His mouth tightened to a grim line. He didn't know how he was going to help her, but he would. _If_ the doctors couldn't give them a solution, he would find a solution, and in the meantime, while she had to live with this impairment, he would stay by her side.

"Star, you realize that you couldn't scold the guilt out of me so easily. I care for you too, you know, and that makes it harder to let go of the guilt. It's impossible to care for someone and not feel bad about the difficulties they have to go through. I'll try to remember what you told me, about why you did it, and how, if given the chance, you'd do it again. But you know, given the chance, I won't let this happen to you."

Starfire remained silent for a time, perhaps considering what he said. Finally, she smiled. "I know. We will take it a day at a time, then. We have only just begun to deal with this and I have learned over time that even our fearless leader, the boy of wonder, has nothing in his utility belt for such situations as these."

He chuckled. "Yeah, couldn't fit that in a belt." He remembered Batman, and how _he_ carried the perfect solution to the burden of human emotion, which was having _no emotion_ at all. It was something Robin found handy at times, but he couldn't imagine feeling nothing. He liked the touch of emotion; he liked being connected to his friends; to be concerned about them and to understand the things they were trying to say even when they didn't say it.

He liked the bond he had with Starfire and the little rituals they shared because of it; like when he woke up earlier than everyone else, only to realize that Starfire was already in the kitchen making breakfast. They would talk, over coffee, about the most ordinary things, because Starfire liked the "coffee rite", as she called it. Across from each other on the counter, they would sit, almost nose to nose, and call each other by their birth names; Richard and Koriand'r, or _Kori_ as he preferred. Sometimes they laughed about the silliest things, trying to do it quietly, as if their laughter was loud enough to carry to the rooms and wake everyone up. It was silly to think their laughter would disturb anyone. The walls of the tower were thick and metal plated, so hardly any sound could get through, but Robin supposed it was their way of keeping things… _intimate._

The term made him color a bit, but it was the only word he could use to describe it. What else could it be called when he felt sick at the mere thought that she _could have died? _Thrice in the past, they had almost lost her and two of those times, Starfire had tried to leave them of her own volition. The first time Starfire attempted to run away, it was because of her sister's overbearing presence. Fortunately, he had gotten her to stay with a few heartfelt words. The second time—when she thought her appearance would drive them to reject her—presented a bigger challenge; she had jumped _Earth _to wander the galaxy for a system that would accept her, claws and all. He had to dog Cyborg every five minutes to expedite the conversion of the T-sub into a T-Rocket. And then on top of that, they had to hop from planet to planet just to find her, but he remembered that he didn't care if the search lasted a lifetime. Even then, the only reason he—

_They, _he thought, correcting himself.

The only reason _they_ found her was because some gigantic pest had tried to eat her while she was in that cocoon. Well, they kicked bug-butt, and she came back. He couldn't believe the relief he felt. Like someone had chopped off his arm and then had a doctor sew it back on.

_What if… what if she tried to leave again? What if she thought her blindness would be a liability to them? It would be totally like her. _

And what if this time, she went where no one could find her? Where _he_ couldn't find her…

_I won't let her leave. I'll give her _no reason_ to leave. _

He knew he had the will to make her stay. He had faced Centari Police, and perhaps the wrath of the entire Centari system, when he brought down their space ship just so they couldn't take Starfire away. Compared to that, he should have better faith in his capabilities.

Having made that resolution, he looked straight into her eyes. "Kori, I'll stick by you on this. You don't have to be afraid of being alone. I'll be here. Do you understand that?"

She nodded, oblivious to his gaze. "I know. It is my greatest comfort."

"And I need you to be strong too. You have to believe that I'm absolutely willing to help you through this. Do you promise to have faith in me?"

Starfire tilted her head. He recognized this gesture. Whenever she did that, she was perplexed, or at least curious.

Her other hand came to rest on both of theirs. "Richard Grayson, I have already promised you this in the past, after you left your apprenticeship with Slade, though the promise may have been unspoken. That promise still stands."

Robin smiled at the memory, but he shook his head, even if she didn't see it. "This is different. Kori, _promise me this…"_

Her eyebrow arched only slightly, but the plaintive smile, accompanied by a nod, was enough for him. "I promise."

"Getting cozy, aren't we?" came a different voice from behind him.

Robin could see Starfire blushing and he could only muse that her cheeks mirrored his own. He looked over his shoulder and saw Beast Boy and Cyborg. Beast Boy was grinning but Cyborg didn't look as pleased.

"You stole my car!"

Robin coughed. "I _borrowed _it."

"I don't recall giving you permission. I don't understand why you have to go _borrow_ my car, anyway. You have a kick-ass motorcycle to drive around and impress chicks with."

Starfire's grip tightened alarmingly and Robin flinched. "Robin _does not_ drive around on his motored cycle to impress _chickens,_ do you, Robin?"

"N-No?"

There was a crunch, and it might have been his hand.

Incidental to the pain, the answer to Starfire's question became amazingly crystal clear. "No! Never thought of doing such a thing! Motorcycles are for transport, _not chicks!"_

The grip loosened and the circulation of blood resumed.

Cyborg frowned and was about to say something more when Raven suddenly appeared behind them, offering a take-home breakfast to Starfire.

"Thought maybe I'd bring breakfast here," Raven said.

Robin was quick to ride the change of subject and Beast Boy took the opportunity to roll _his_ eyes, for a change because usually, _he_ caused the eye-rolling.

Robin noted how Raven had been considerate enough to pick a breakfast meal that wouldn't give Starfire much difficulty. It was a sausage sandwich that Starfire could simply unwrap and bite into. Raven even chose an iced-coffee so that Starfire could drink her dose of caffeine with a straw. Cyborg and Beast Boy also came prepared. They brought a Discman with a bunch of their favorite CDs to play on it and of course, both offered commentary on their music choices.

It finally dawned on Robin that he could depend on all of the Titans to show their support in their own way. Raven would probably talk to Starfire when they all got back to the tower, but Beast Boy and Cyborg weren't "talking" guys. Their idea of communication was pressing the X, Y, and Turbo buttons on their game station controllers. Anything more than that and they'd have to show their sensitive sides, which was strange for Beast Boy who always hid behind his jokes and weirder for Cyborg, who didn't do sensitive in the slightest.

Robin watched his titans fawn over Starfire and he smiled plaintively. It was nice to see them all so attentive, but they could only do so much for her. How long before the reality began to weigh heavily?

Shaking his head, he decided he would put off his dismal thoughts for the meantime.

They spent the rest of the morning with Starfire, and just past noon, Robin told her that he had to go back to the tower with the other titans.

Just as he expected, she reproachfully told him that it was about time he got around to it; that they have been keeping her company long enough.

He would have stayed, but he had responsibilities, and he couldn't very well compel any of the others to sit around and keep Starfire company. But in an uncharacteristic display of sensitivity, Cyborg volunteered to stay with her.

"Just don't forget that you could call me when some badass decides to rule the world while I'm keeping Shorty company," he said, flashing a grin.

Robin stared at him a moment before replying. "Sure, Cy." He had no problem with whatever reason Cyborg had, choosing to get left behind, but Robin wondered if he had to tell Cyborg to leave the hospital equipment alone.

They said goodbye with Robin promising he'd come by that evening to take Cyborg's place, crime-rate permitting. As he walked out of the room with Raven and Beast Boy, he heard Starfire asking, "Cyborg, I have been meaning to ask you… why is it that you call me 'Shorty'? Am I not tall enough?"

Robin laughed softly as their voices faded behind him.

* * *

_"Dude, yo' driving me _crazy! _Stop calling!"_ And the line went dead with a pert crackle.

Robin made a face at the T-Comm in his hand. _Sheez Cy… I just want to know how she's doing…_

Sighing, he set the T-Comm aside and looked back at the wide-screen. The profiles of the six scientists killed during Cinderblock's attack stared back at him with their ID pictures. The oblivion behind their smiles was unnerving. They had no idea that working in a toy research facility could be fatal. He felt sorry for their families and he hoped he could help shed some sense into their deaths, however senseless death could be to begin with.

A gecko dropped on the mainframe and Robin jerked back in surprise. The gecko giggled and Robin frowned in response. "Jeez, Beast Boy… don't you have anything better to do?"

Beast Boy became himself again and grinned, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Oh, you mean like calling up Cyborg every ten minutes in the last three hours to check on Starfire?"

Robin reddened. "Hey, I feel bad about leaving her back there…"

Beast Boy shrugged. "So do we, but we gotta look out for the bad guys. Even Starfire said so."

"Yeah."

"So any luck with those scientists?"

Robin shook his head, leaning back on his chair. "No. I've checked a hundred references and I couldn't really find a link that jumps at me. I mean, yeah sure, one of 'em is godfather to somebody's kid, or a couple of them went on a fishing trip last year, then they were all invited to the wedding two years ago by some chick in another department… but even after I followed _those_ leads, there's absolutely nothing that gives a clue to Cinderblock's attack. It's looking like they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. And Dr. Greenwald... poor Dr. Greenwald. Nothing left of him but a finger…"

"At least his family saved a ton on funeral expenses."

Robin gave him a _look_ and Beast Boy winced. "Sorry. Bad joke."

"No kidding."

Beast Boy fidgeted uncomfortably for a moment. "Hey listen… I actually came here to talk to you about Star."

Robin arched an eyebrow.

"It's going to be—pretty different when she comes back to the tower. I have no idea how to deal with these things, and who knows, they might still be able to fix her, right? But if she needs my help, go tell her she could come to me, k?"

The titans were just full of surprises today. "I'll be glad to tell her for you, Beast Boy, but you know, she'll be too polite to ask help from you unless you talk to her yourself."

Beast Boy nodded.

The T-Comm hailed and Robin stared at it in surprise, then worry. Cyborg wouldn't call him unless there was something wrong. He picked up the radio and saw Cyborg's solemn expression.

"The verdict's out," he said gravely. "The specialist came by about an hour ago and they got Starfire to perform some tests… guys, she's never going to see out of her eyes again."

Beast Boy's head dropped, a deep sigh punctuating it.

Robin couldn't even explain how bad he felt. "How's Starfire taking it?"

"Very, very quietly."

"Stay with her, Cy. We'll be there in half an hour."

They signed off.

Robin and Beast Boy told Raven the situation and so soon after they left the hospital, they went back. Starfire didn't show much emotion, just a strange, cold acceptance of her plight.

The specialist said that her blindness was caused by extensive damage to her retina and macula. The retina and macula both housed photoreceptor cells that captured and process light, thereby causing vision, except that the macula's primary function was to provide central vision, or more simply, _focus. _Central Vision was still possible when retinal degeneration occurred; in the same vein, sight without central vision could occur when it was just the macula, but for both to fail…

"There are treatments for retinal and macular degeneration, of course," said the doctor. "But this isn't degeneration. Her retina and macula are completely damaged, like they were _burned away._ Any research involving the replacement of dead retinal and macular tissue is still on the drawing board, so right now, there is nothing we could do. I'm sorry…"

_Burned away, _thought Robin dismally. _How could that have happened? It couldn't have been caused by her powers… or could it? _

From what Robin knew, her people have been shooting lasers out of their eyes for centuries, and she didn't say they went blind because of it. Why did it happen to her, then?

As the day wore on, Robin eventually told the titans to go home, and that it was his turn to keep Starfire company. When they left, Starfire called for him, and as soon as he sat himself on the edge of her bed beside her, she fell into his arms and wept. There was nothing he could do but let her cry.

She said very little, and long after she started, her sobbing dwindled to hiccups.

He told her softly that she should lie back down and try to relax and she did so without protest.

_She must be exhausted, _he thought, pulling the covers over her. He had watched her the entire day. She had put up a brave front for the others; acting as normal as she could under the circumstances, but having held her as she cried, he realized the monumental effort she had made to save everyone from her secret misery.

He pressed a tissue into her hand so she could wipe her eyes.

"And do you know the worse part, Robin?"

He remained silent, wishing for her sake that she would fall asleep soon. He pushed some loose hair from her face, his heart wrenching with sympathy.

"I've lost the power in my eyes," she whispered, her eyes fluttering close. "I—I couldn't get them to work anymore…"

Robin said nothing. He pulled up a chair and sat by her bed, holding her hand as he watched her fall asleep.

* * *

Closing notes: It may seem that I have done absolutely nothing in these last two chapters, but actually, I had hoped to provide some subtle insight into the situation at hand. When somebody we really care about goes blind, it's not like we go, "Oh. Well, bad luck then. Where do we eat?" The truth is we would take some time to absorb this fact. Also, many of the seemingly useless things I put in these last two chapters will be very significant to the events that will occur in the future chapters. Hope you trust me on this one. These chapters may be slow, but I promise more action from hereon (but really, not all that much… I _did_ classify this story as a Drama and Romance.)


	4. Homecoming

Standard disclaimers apply.

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.**

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Four – Homecoming**

The other titans arrived the following morning to check Starfire out of the hospital; the cloudless sky and cool breeze rendering the weather unsympathetic to their mood.

Before they fetched Starfire from her room, Dr. Peii took them all, including Robin, aside in a relatively secluded waiting room. She issued prescriptions for Starfire through Robin, after which she spoke to the rest of the titans, giving them identical data sheets containing referrals.

"Since you are Ms. Anders' surrogate family, I am required by the state of law, and my own concern, to give each of you this information. They are a list of support groups and foundations, put up specifically for the families of victims suffering visual impairment. The groups will help you to understand, and familiarize you with, the difficulties Ms. Anders is and will be adjusting to, as well as orient you on what to expect and how to cope in this period of transition. There are also 'Coming Home Guidelines' you could follow; a set of immediate and easy adjustments you could apply to make it easier for Starfire to become relatively independent."

The titans stared at her, unsure of what to say.

_Support groups? Foundations? Guidelines? _Robin thought miserably. _Weren't those things for... _ordinary people?

They exchanged glances, and seeing that they mirrored each other's look of uncertainty, they realized in unison that the only one who had the sense to say anything coherent right now was Dr. Peii, herself.

Dr. Peii continued, taking out another sheet and handing it to Robin. "This list is for Ms. Anders. She has her own network of support groups and she _will _need them. She bears the heaviest burden, because she's going to have to adjust to herself, so when you can, talk to her about this list."

Robin nodded. He felt a bit numb as he ran his eyes down the sheet:

_...The Lilac Blind Foundation_... offers a wealth of support, inspiration and fun... _Braille Institute... _make a difference by having the world at your fingertips_... Guide Dogs, Inc.... _guide dogs for the blind...

He didn't know what to think, and it was horribly depressing. He didn't want to paint kind Dr. Peii in a bad light but he couldn't help but consider her a mood _annihilator_ at that moment. Their mood was already wrecked; she just pounded it into dust.

When they went to get Starfire, none of them were smiling and nobody said a word. It didn't help either that Starfire had to be wheeled out of the hospital in a chair. It was so _un-_Starfire that Robin knew the mere mental image of it would upset him for days.

Such was the state of things when they emerged from the hospital doors.

Raven, who was usually the model of control, promptly set off two car alarms, blew a tire and sent her hair standing on end as they, along with an upbeat nurse named Jeff, rolled Starfire out to the loading area in her wheelchair.

She frowned when Robin, Cyborg and Nurse Jeff looked at her in bewilderment. "What?"

Robin met looks with Cyborg whose human eye rolled, making his thoughts on the matter clear enough: he wasn't going to tell Raven that she looked like a porcupine; he had bigger things to worry about. Robin looked to Beast Boy who gave him a stubborn scowl and immediately transformed into a cat, hopping gracefully on Starfire's lap.

"Beast Boy is so sweet," said Starfire when he rubbed his head on her hand.

Robin glared at the green feline. "Yeah, cavity-causing sweet."

Beast Boy mewed, a smug look on his face.

Cyborg said he would get the car and as he left them, Robin prayed that Raven would relax enough to let her hair ease down by itself. Nurse Jeff tried to say something but Robin shook his head. It was then that Robin saw Starfire's head tilting to the side in her signature gesture of curiosity.

"Nurse Jeff, why must I be in this _chair with wheels?_ My legs work quite well."

"Well, hospital regulations, Ms. Anders."

"What is the logic behind that?"

"Logic? Oh, well, it's our way of saying that we provided the best care up to the very time you left our premises."

"But I already know you provided the best care."

"We like to emphasize the point."

"But I already know for certain, as I am sure many other patients do. Is that not a waste of your time? Maybe you should only provide this service to those who are not yet convinced."

"W-Well, I-I guess..."

Starfire's head tilted the other way. "What if I had lost the use of my legs? Do I get to take this _chair with wheels_ home?"

"Um, yeah, you get to take a wheelchair home, but it probably won't be as dingy as this. You'll probably get a new model; maybe even something that flies. You know, suped-up for a superhero like you." Nurse Jeff grinned, pleased with himself.

Starfire tapped her finger thoughtfully on her lips. "That would be very strange... why would a chair that could fly need wheels at all?"

Nurse Jeff suddenly didn't look so pleased with himself. "W-Well, maybe the chair needs batteries and you can't always waste the power..."

"But would not a flying chair on batteries be very dangerous? What if the batteries ran out while you were in the air?"

Nurse Jeff's eyebrows knotted in concentration, clearly at a loss for a reply. Finally, he gave a weak, embarrassed laugh. "Use Energizer?"

Starfire didn't seem convinced. "The one in the bunny? But the bunny barely does anything but walk and beat on its drum. Its energy requirements could not possibly compare to a flying chair."

"G-Gee, Ms. Anders..."

"Oh, it hardly matters, anyway. I do not need a chair to fly. But I _have_ been wondering... why does everyone in the hospital keep calling me Ms. Anders? Is that hospital regulation as well?"

Nurse Jeff looked absolutely nonplussed. Nothing he said had stood up to Starfire's curiosity and he looked helplessly at Robin.

Robin, too entertained to be charitable, shrugged. Raven didn't even spare Nurse Jeff a glance and Beast Boy was half-mewing, half-spitting, like he was dislodging a hairball. It was then that Cyborg pulled up on the curb with the T-Car.

Robin almost wished Cyborg had taken a bit longer. Beast Boy hopped off Starfire's lap and promptly transformed, smothering his laughter as he piled into the car.

As Robin guided Starfire out of the chair, Starfire smiled. "Nurse Jeff, I thank you for answering my questions."

"N-No problem..." He waved to the other titans, looking exhausted, before he turned and wheeled the chair back into the hospital lobby.

Raven saw her reflection on the car window and her frown deepened. For a moment, Robin thought the T-Car was in dire danger of blowing up, but miracle of miracles, Raven's frown transformed into a barely recognizable smile. She smoothed her hair down, the static crackling from her fingertips. "Well, at least I didn't have to take Star's pop quiz. That was decidedly un-amusing to Nurse Jeff, but strangely amusing to me."

Robin chuckled. He delicately kept Starfire from bumping overhead and saw to it that she was comfortable on her seat. Raven slid in beside her.

As Robin stepped into the passenger seat beside Cyborg, he realized that Starfire had, for a brief moment, given them reason to smile on this day they wanted to do anything _but. _It was a pity Cyborg hadn't been around to hear Starfire's conversation with Nurse Jeff; he would have tripped on it.

"Cyborg, the seats are quite soft and comfortable. Did you change the upholstery?" asked Starfire.

Cyborg arched an eyebrow. "I did. Didn't think anybody would notice."

"I've been noticing many different things I never noticed before. They are wonderful seats. Are they as pretty as they are comfortable?"

He grinned. "Shorty, who're you talking to, here? Eh?"

"Um... you?

"Uh-huh. And I don't do un-cool, so yeah, they're pretty!"

Robin cocked a smile, seeing the pleased expression on Cyborg's face. _Starfire, it's nice to have you back with us. _

* * *

Their arrival at Titan tower presented a new awkwardness. While each of them had somehow, one way or another, mentally tried to prepare themselves for Starfire's homecoming, they all managed to end up assuming that _someone_ would know where to begin, so when no one said anything after Cyborg parked the car and killed the engine, the silence almost felt like a ticking time bomb.

"Are we home?"

There was a collective jump, and Robin realized that it was Starfire who managed to get things going again.

He sighed, almost in relief. "Yeah." He noticed that everyone was just as glad of the diversion.

Belts were unbuckled and doors were opened. Perhaps it was Robin's imagination, but it suddenly felt as if they were making a little too much noise without saying anything.

Beast Boy made a beeline for the trunk, presumably to get Starfire's overnight things.

Raven helped Starfire out of the car but immediately handed her over to Robin. "Here. I'll go get Starfire's luggage."

Starfire's luggage consisted of a small duffle bag and Beast Boy was already lugging it. Robin suspected that the only baggage Raven was worried about was the one riding beside her in the car.

With Starfire on his arm, they walked to the elevators and rode it to the upper levels of the tower. Behind him, he could almost feel Raven glowering at Beast Boy who had the bag clutched triumphantly in his hand.

The quiet hum of the elevator was all that filled the silence of the car.

Halfway to the information center, Starfire broke the overwhelming hush. It was almost as if her voice echoed. "Did you know this elevator had music?"

This was a surprise. Robin exchanged astonished looks with Cyborg. Robin had read about how visually impaired individuals processed the input from their senses differently from the sighted; not that they became bionically sensitive, but that they would have a different perspective of identifying things, such as recognizing the sound of different gaits belonging to different individuals, or being more adept at recognizing the differences in intonation when a person spoke; they could notice subtle shifts in smells better than a seeing person could; and they were more in tune with their sense of touch. Hollywood had, on several occasions, exaggerated these capabilities—to superhero proportions, resulting in public misconceptions about how the blind coped with their impairment. Robin resolved to be sensitive to Starfire's impairment based on this knowledge, but to have her hearing things when no one could was vastly unusual.

Eyeing her pensively, he wondered if Starfire's alien make-up had anything to do with how her hearing had suddenly become _much more, _almost paranormally,acute.

"It does?" Cyborg asked.

"Yes," Starfire replied. "Listen. It sounds like that... _Macarena _song... but played strangely."

Everyone strained to listen.

Beast Boy transformed into a dog and a few seconds later barked like he was excited. He retransformed into himself and folded over in laughter. "She's right! It's there and it's horrible!" He continued to laugh, while everyone else looked at each other in surprise.

Starfire grinned. "Of course I am right!"

Robin was decidedly perplexed. This was an aspect of Starfire's biological capabilities that he hadn't even considered. It made _some_ kind of sense. She was, after all, much stronger than most of them. Her wounds healed much faster; she didn't scar; she was fast, agile; basically an ideal superhero. Was it possible that her body had adjusted—nay _evolved_ to accommodate her impairment? It was totally uncanny.

Beast Boy nudged Cyborg, smirking. "Dude, get _your music_ out of our elevator!"

Cyborg flashed a glare. "My music? Dude, I'm not the one who has a copy of Lou Bega's _Mambo No. 5."_

Beast Boy squealed in horror. _"Starfire,_ you promised not to tell!"

She gasped. "I told _no one!"_

Robin grinned, his awed thoughts interrupted by the terribly humorous prospect of the fedora-clad artist. _"Lou Bega?" _

Beast Boy frowned. "Shut up!"

"Is this why you asked me whether you'd look good in a fedora?" Raven asked.

"Oh, Beast Boy," said Cyborg in an intensely tragic tone.

Robin couldn't help but laugh at that.

Starfire frowned. "I do not like that song. That man had too many women at one time."

Cyborg nodded with exaggerated gravity. "Too many."

"Look, I _liked_ the song the first time I heard it, but I would _never_ buy the album. It was a _gift!" _Beast Boy had his gag completely ruined, as was common when he tried to get one over Cyborg.

Robin grinned. "Sure BB; a gift."

"It was!"

The elevator doors opened and they stepped out. Piling out into the hallway, Beast Boy and Cyborg continued to bicker, heading straight for the kitchen, while Raven looked on with growing disapproval.

Robin saw a strangely contented grin on Starfire's face and decided not to ask about it. He was just glad she was taking this better than he was.

He was about to lead her to the couch when he felt her tug gently on his arm. He looked at her inquiringly and sadly realized that Starfire hadn't the eyes to read his facial expressions anymore. "What is it?"

Her grin became a plaintive smile. "The doctor said you might feel uncomfortable about discussing the things that might make my _condition_ easier to deal with at home. She gave you sheets of information, yes? Perhaps you and I could talk about it before we involve the others."

He stared at her a moment, absorbing her words. His first instinct was to deny that he was uncomfortable, that he was just about to bring up the Info Sheets when she beat him to it, but he realized that he was in no condition to play the Boy Wonder. Right now, he was just the Confused Little Boy. He gave a soft sigh of relief. "We'll talk in your room. Let me just get your things from BB." The venue was a conscious decision on his part. Starfire's décor was dependably uplifting. Flowers, gossamer white drapery, sunshine and lots of pastels; guaranteed to brighten anyone's day. He remembered that she twice tried to keep a canary for a pet, but their schedules were erratic in the past, and the birds died when crime deprived them of birdseeds. If they had lived, they'd have become part of Starfire's dreamland bedroom.

He left Starfire momentarily by the elevator doors and grabbed her bag from the kitchen counter.

Beast Boy swatted his hand with a spatula.

"Ouch!"

"Where do you think you're taking that? Starfire needs sustenance. I'm cooking tofu so stick around."

Cyborg frowned, holding up his own spatula. "Tofu, shmofu! _I'm_ making burgers."

Robin grinned. He could quote this argument, chapter and verse, so he didn't feel like sticking around. "Well, I'll bring her back after we're done talking, alright? Jeez, Beast Boy. Stop swinging that thing around."

Beast Boy cocked a grin, winking. "Talking... is that what kids call it these days?"

It earned him a smack upside the head from Cyborg and a glare from Raven.

Robin frowned. They looked like they had a secret, and he wasn't particularly fond of being kept out of the loop. For some reason, he had a vague understanding of what it was and he reddened. He grabbed the bag from the counter with a jerk. "What's that suppose to mean?"

Scowling at Cyborg and Raven, Beast Boy didn't look like he was about to shut up. "Well you and Starfire–"

A black, telekinetic void materialized in the air and clamped right over Beast Boy's mouth. His scream was muffled while he made rude gestures at Raven. Cyborg restrained him, grabbing him by the scruff of his neck.

Raven dealt Beast Boy another glare. "It means _nothing. _Go on ahead with Starfire, Robin. I'll make sure these boys don't blow anything up."

Starfire cleared her throat loudly from where she was standing. "My friends, _Starfire _is blind, not deaf. What is Beast Boy saying?"

_"Nothing!" _cried Raven and Cyborg in unison.

Robin felt his face get even hotter and he sighed in exasperation, leaving them behind so he could do what he had to do.

He flashed them one last disdainful look before he turned to lead Starfire through the elevator doors.

* * *

Robin observed Starfire's closet which was amazingly organized, not that he had ever perceived her as messy in any way, but he didn't think anybody could be as anal as he was.

_Well, the true test is the sock and underwear drawer. _A thought which made him blush immediately. _Not that I want to see her underwear drawer... _

Cursing silently at his raging hormones one more time, he turned his gaze from the closet and back on Starfire who was seated on her bed. "I think it'll be pretty easy to color-code your wardrobe. It's organized enough as it is. Just a few adjustments."

They were going over the data sheets, focusing on the "Coming Home Guidelines". It wasn't so much a list as it was a comprehensive article. One of the many difficulties about losing one's sight was that previously mundane tasks suddenly became challenging, and one such task was dressing up. A well-organized wardrobe could prevent mismatching and having to depend on someone else to pick ones clothes for you.

Starfire's closet still needed to be rearranged in spite of its neatness, but it wasn't going to be much work.

He wondered briefly if it was true that women matched their underwear. _It just seems so pointless, is all,_ he thought. _It's not like anybody could see it under the clothing. Besides, when a woman takes her clothes off for _**that,**_ underwear would likely be a non-issue. Who cares if it matches? It's what underneath it that counts._

A second later–after he had pulled his mind out of the gutter–he _definitely_ thought Raven should be the one to help with Starfire's closet.

Starfire smiled. "Glorious! Who do you think should help me?"

"Oh, Raven. Definitely Raven."

"Raven it is. And when I get my walking cane, I am sure I will be able to find my way around the tower quite easily. I know it well enough."

"I'll walk around with you. You know, for the first few times."

"I would welcome that. And then these Braille Lessons... I wish I could apply my Tamaranian powers of touch to absorb the language, but I cannot. Reading by touch is a concept even more alien than my powers." She giggled and clapped her hands at that. "Robin, I think I may have done _word play!"_

He chuckled. "Yes, you have." It sent another pang of sadness through him. She was just getting used to Earth, and getting good at it too. Now she had to deal with this, yet another Earth obstacle.

_Likely, Tamaran has the technology to let Starfire see again._

Thoughts of Tamaran led to other things he had, only lately, began to consider, like Starfire's family. Oh, she talked about Tamaran; snippets of information she contributed about her culture; but she never went beyond the festive occasions, or the references to certain things like _glemporks, r'kmas _and a _klor-back varbler nelks._ He never knew about Blackfire until she showed up and while he felt that Starfire had a sort of "falling out" from her parents, he had no idea what kind of falling out it was. It boggled him that someone like Starfire would have a falling out with anyone at all. Even her sister, who had attempted to frame her of galactic theft, couldn't earn Starfire's enmity. Whatever Starfire and her parents disagreed on must have been bigger than framing her for stealing a Centari Diamond, and _that_ had been pretty bad in itself.

Frankly, nobody knew much of anybody in the Titan Tower, but it was strange when it was him and Starfire. They were best friends. They were _supposed_ to know more about each other.

Robin sat on her desk chair and tinkered with some of desktop toys, mostly Beanie Babies and ornamental pens. She had a pink Mac, which she called a "toy". No doubt, the technology was somewhat primitive to what she was used to in Tamaran.

Somehow, the thought that they were practically strangers on the aspect of family bothered him. These days, with the dwindled number of super villains and the sudden abundance of time to think, he had begun to realize the importance of roots; and how significant it was between best friends to _know_ each other's roots.

_Roots... like the Flying Graysons... like Batman. _He sighed. _Batman and his damn motorcycle._It was, in fact, the motorcycle that had fist triggered such thoughts.

He didn't know if he was ready to go there, but maybe it was about time he made himself ready. He had been contemplating seeking Bruce Wayne's help for Starfire's condition. It was difficult for him to jump up and offer this possibility because he had been so independent and he was doing fine without the old bat, but now it wasn't just about him anymore. There was Starfire, and if he was going to seek Bruce's help, Starfire at least had to know a bit about the _Duo _in the _Dynamic. _

He had also considered asking her about Tamaranian medicine, which might have a cure after all. But he did realize that she had not volunteered any information herself, which, he figured, could only be one of two possibilities: The first possibility was that _there was no_ Tamaranian cure for blindness; and the second possibility... well, it may involve Starfire having to tell him a lot of things about her and her family, something she seemed very reluctant to talk about.

While he, of all people, understood the need for privacy, there were bigger issues to contend with.

Sighing, he felt emotionally drained just thinking about it, but it had to be done. Absently, he responded to her earlier concerns. "I'm sure you'll find Braille easy. It's just a different way of reading the same language."

She nodded, her head tilting again in her curious gesture. "It is strange how much I have been... sensing since my loss of sight. I feel and hear things more acutely, like my other senses have compensated because I could no longer use my eyes. Like now, I could detect by your tone that there is something bothering you. You may tell me what it is, Richard."

He was momentarily surprised, ponderous as he had been about the sudden hyper-sensitivity she seemed to be exhibiting. He considered asking her whether she could tell him something about the adaptive capabilities of Tamaraneans when it came to physical impairments; not necessarily pertaining to eyesight, but to other things such as the loss of a limb. But judging by what she just said, she didn't have any prior knowledge about it either.

Robin stifled a sigh, putting off his inquiries. She seemed to be beating everyone to the punch today. Maybe it was a sign, this heightening of her senses, that they should both be more open about themselves, at least to each other.

He picked up a Beanie Baby, a purple dog with pink spots, and toyed with it idly as he tried to put his thoughts into words. "You know, you never talked about your family. I mean, not that I resent that. I never say much of anything myself, but–what I'm trying to say is–well, I'd like to know more... about that. And I could tell you stuff about myself as well."

She was quiet and for a moment, Robin could have sworn that her lips tightened grimly, but then the tension was gone, and she was herself again. "Well, there is Blackfire..."

"Oh, I _know_ about Blackfire. Fun, hip, has a tendency to steal Centari Diamonds..." She smiled at this and he continued. "But how about the rest of your family?"

Something akin to a frown formed on her face and for a second, Robin felt he had crossed a line he wasn't supposed to.

He backtracked immediately. "I mean, I don't mean to pry. If you don't want to talk about it, it's okay. I was just–well..."

"My parents–" she said coldly "–are _dead."_

Robin could tell by her tone that they were anything _but, _which was a sad thing. He had lost his parent for real, perhaps in a more traumatic way than most, and he would give anything to get them back. But he was willing to grant Starfire that privacy, in some respect. "I'm sorry to hear that, but at least you still have a sister. I didn't have any siblings to turn to when my parents died. They were circus performers; flying trapeze. You've seen those, haven't you, Star? There was a small performance in that carnival we went to..."

The hard lines on her face eased and she nodded.

"Well, my parents, the _Flying Graysons,_ were _big_ _time_ trapeze artists with the Haly Circus, and when I was born, I was automatically its newest member. They trained me since birth. I was pretty good at it, too. Did flips in the air and everything." He paused for a moment, remembering how hard it was to tell of it before, but now, sitting in front of Starfire, he felt no compunction to hold back. He knew it was Starfire's accepting nature that made her so easy to talk to, and he was glad of that. Gathering his memories, he went on. "I was eight years old when it happened, and we were performing in Gotham City. It was a really swanky affair. The Commish was there, and the mayor and even Bruce Wayne. Everyone had come to see John and Mary Grayson. They had this act on the tightrope–just the two of them–and it was spectacular." He shrugged and he continued with a lightened tone. "Their last performance ever. Someone tampered with the cable... and there was no net, so..."

Starfire gasped. "That is terrible, Robin!"

"Eh, feels like a hundred years ago. It still makes me very sad, but I've been moving on... and on... Batman took me in and he helped me bring in the guy who killed my parents."

Starfire looked like she was about to cry, and Robin was a bit alarmed. He reached out and patted her gently on the shoulder. "Hey, don't worry about it, Kori. I'm over it. Honest."

She smiled and sniffed. "I am just–who did it?"

"Anthony Zucco: mob guy. The circus Ringmaster couldn't pay Zucco for 'protection'... you know, these mobsters bully you into paying them so that they don't trash your place; they call it 'protection', but it's just a load of crap. Mr. Haly didn't have the money, so Zucco nicked the wire for the tightrope act and it snapped."

She emitted a soft cry of pity. "That murderous--!"

"Yeah, well he'll never bother anyone again. Batman and I made sure of that. Don't sweat it, alright?" He gave her shoulder another pat, for good measure, and she smiled.

Starfire chuckled. "Very well, Robin. I will tell you a bit about my family." She paused to think. "There's Blackfire, of course. Her real name is Komand'r... my parents' names were Myand'r and Luand'r."

Robin noticed that she was pronouncing the names _Koman-door, Miyan-door_ and _Luan-door._ He realized something and it made him groan.

She paused. "Is there something wrong, Robin?"

"Nothing, Korian_-door."_

She grinned. "Well, you and the others were so comfortable with Korian_-der_ that I let you–"

He sighed, but chuckled. "It's fine, Kori. Go on. You parents were named Myand'r and Luand'r."

"Yes. And like I said, they're _dead."_

Something in her tone told him that she wasn't going to contribute anything more about her parents except that. He was right.

"And then there's... well, I have a brother; a younger one. His name is Ryand'r."

This was a surprise to him. "Whoa, really? Well, where is he now?"

"He is still in Tamaran. When I left, we were both quite young..." Her voice trailed a moment. "He is old enough to take care of himself, now. He is already fifteen and he is probably married–"

Robin almost choked. "At fifteen?"

"W-Well... he'd have been married at fourteen..."

"What!"

She reddened visibly. "It is complicated... _anyway,_ I am sure he is fine."

"Haven't you talked to him on your transmitter thingy?" He knew Starfire used her mysterious machine to talk to Blackfire before.

"I have not communicated with him."

It was confusing to Robin. Even he and Bruce, at odds as they were, communicated at least once a year, not counting the fancy invitations Robin got in the mail, and they weren't even blood related. Did Starfire's brother do something to her as well? What a highly dysfunctional family Starfire had. But he would let that rest as well if Starfire wasn't willing to tell. "Would've been cool to meet him, but maybe I'll meet him some time in the future, eh?"

She smiled. "Yes, maybe. He is a very nice boy. You will like him, and I am sure he will like you."

This made things even more confusing. If Ryand'r was such a good kid, why didn't she want to speak to him? He shook the questions from his thoughts and decided to take another direction. "Looking forward to it. Wait a minute, if people in your planet marry at fourteen... you mean you would've been married if you stayed?"

Her blush was confirmation enough.

He grimaced. "Why?" he asked in a painful whisper.

Starfire laughed. "Oh, not _everyone_ in Tamaran is expected to marry at fourteen. Just... just a few of us."

He arched an eyebrow. He wondered what made her part of the "few" but did not ask it out loud. Instead, he grinned. "Well, then _whew! _Thank goodness you're here, single!"

They laughed together then fell silent. It suddenly didn't seem as funny as he had intended. They reddened at the same time.

Robin fidgeted. "It would–you know–suck for you to be married... "

"Um-hmm."

They sighed in unison.

_This is terrible,_ thought Robin, tapping his foot to fill the silence. "A-Anyway," he began awkwardly. "Now that I know your name is pronounced as Korian_door_..."

She giggled. "Oh, you do not have to change anything. Korian_der_ is quite nice."

He cocked a smile and leaned over on his seat, elbows to his knees. This was something he had to ask of her, family problems or not. "Kori, would your people be able to help you? Do they have a way to make you see again?"

Her blank gaze lowered. She twilled her fingers in her usual way; when she was confused or insecure. "Even if they did, Richard... I do not wish to go back there. I would rather be blind all my life."

He sighed. He didn't have the slightest clue about what Starfire wasn't telling him. What could be so bad that she didn't even want to return to the planet and people she so apparently loved? Obviously, it had to do with her parents, and maybe her brother, but what did they do to her?

"I am sorry," she whispered.

He nodded and took her hand, patting it comfortingly. "It's alright. It's nothing to apologize for. Listen, I may... I may have a way... I can't promise you that you'll get your sight back, but this possibility I'm thinking of is definitely worth a try. Give me some time on this, alright? I won't take long and... thanks for telling me stuff, Kori. It's nice to know you could open up to me like that, even just a little bit."

She smiled. "No, thank _you,_ Richard. I know you do not like us _humanizing _you, so I am honored."

Robin laughed. "What? Am I that neurotic?"

"Oh, yes."

He chuckled. "Yeah, well, don't thank me just yet. I haven't told you _everything. _I'll get to that, but I'm putting it off."

"Oh, we are quite even on that. I am 'putting off' things about me as well, and I make no promises of 'getting to that', so it is fair, yes?"

Robin thought about it. "We'll say that it is."

"Excellent!"

He grinned. He figured they'd had enough heart to heart talks for one day, at least for the meantime. "_So..._ we should talk about your Braille classes..."

* * *

Over a dinner of pizza and bread sticks (the tofu and burgers having been predictably charred to bits), Robin and Starfire told the others about the help Starfire would need to get adjusted. It was easy to get them to listen. Just like in the battlefield, they needed a leader, and as long as someone was around to tell them what should be done, they would do it. However this time, Robin took the backseat to Starfire. First, she gently suggested that all of them should look at the information Dr. Peii had given them. She refrained from saying the words "support groups", which Robin thought was a stroke of genius. The last thing toughies like them would admit to was needing help from strangers. After subtlety settling all arguments concerning it, she made requests like a seasoned diplomat; helping her around the house; rearranging her wardrobe; bringing her to Braille classes; all the while promising that she would try her best to learn total independence as quickly as she could.

Raven didn't mind helping her with her clothes. "They're almost all pastels, anyway. You could mix any of them and you'd still look coordinated. They're all so _light._" She had a holy disgust of powder pinks, sky blues and all things of Stafire's taste, but as long as she didn't have to wear any of it, she could live with it.

The rest of them would take turns bringing her to the city, driving her to her Braille classes until Cyborg could think of a way for her to travel by herself, particularly between the island and the mainland.

"Nothing experimental, Cy," warned Robin. "If you blow up Star I will be very, _very_ upset."

Cyborg scoffed. "You're talking to your man, Victor. I am _the _Man of Machine."

"Whatever. Just make sure it's safe."

"It'll be safe, but you know, I'm glad ya'll brought up my expertise. Star, I've got a bunch of stuff I designed for you, but here's one I just finished putting together. Check this out."

Robin and the others stifled a groan.

Beast Boy leaned over to Robin. "If anything looks like it's going to explode, dibs on hiding behind your cape."

Robin elbowed him to shut up.

Cyborg pulled out what looked like a half-inch diameter pipe. It was about a foot long and it was purple, with a tiny, rubber Pikachu sticking out one end as it bobbed from a thin plastic wire.

Raven made a face. "What is it?"

"It's a walking cane! And I put a little flair to it, too. See? It's Pikachu."

"Er... isn't _Pikachu_ a bit too short?" said Beast Boy.

Cyborg shot him a disdainful look. "It's retractable, like Robin's bo staff." He pressed a small button near Pikachu's end and the bar extended, almost like a bullet, punching a rather large indentation on the wooden surface of the table.

At first, they couldn't believe what had happened as everyone, except Starfire, stared at the crater, then their gazes drifted to Cyborg.

He chuckled in embarrassment. "Oops."

Beast Boy squealed in horror. "You could _kill _someone with that thing!"

Starfire gasped. "What happened?!"

"Cyborg assaulted the table," said Raven.

"Hey, all it needs is a bit of configuration!"

Robin eyed the cane, doubtful. "I don't know Cy. That thing seems kinda deadly to me."

Cyborg glared. "I'll fix it! Here, Star. Hold this." He pressed a second button. "You ain't seen nothing yet."

"I can't see anything at all, Cyborg," she said, giggling.

"Okay, that was seriously un-funny, but I'll let it slide since you're my favorite fly girl. Go on, try it out."

Beast Boy inched closer to Robin. "Can I hide behind your cape now?"

Robin sighed in exasperation and tried to ignore him. He was too worried about what Cyborg's walking cane could do to Starfire.

Cautiously, Starfire held the cane firmly in her hand. She turned slowly and its tip touched the edge of a chair.

"Distance: eight-point-seven-six inches from point of origin. General composition: metal. Inanimate; semi-conductive. Current state: benign. Proceed with caution," said a soothing, baritone voice.

Starfire arched an eyebrow in surprise.

Robin's brow knotted in response to the odd voice. "Dude... was that Barry White?"

Cyborg grinned. "Nothing like a smooth talkin' brother to show you the way."

Starfire moved again, this time touching part of Raven's calf.

"Distance: one-point-five-three feet from point of origin. General composition: mammal; of the subspecies human. Animate and female. Current state: _moody_. Proceed with finesse."

Cyborg gave a whoop and Beast Boy couldn't help but double over and laugh. Robin didn't know what to think.

"Cyborg," growled Raven, fist and void forming. "That is the most misogynistic..."

"'Ey, i's Barry White! When the man speaks, a brotha' listens!"

Starfire moved another few inches and the cane touched Cyborg's foot. The introduction to Barry White's "You're the First, the Last, My Everything" blared out of the cane's speaker. Starfire yelped and dropped the cane as it vibrated frenziedly to its own music. "You got it, baby; One hundred percent man. Dynamic; exciting. Current state: Sizzling hot. You've got everything."

Beast Boy screeched with laughter while Robin rolled his eyes. He should have expected that.

Cyborg flexed his muscled arms and winked. "Now that's what I'm talkin' about!"

Raven's lip twitched. "Current state: about to be ill."

Starfire bit her lip, twiddling her fingers in front of her. "It is–um, creative, Cyborg. But I... I think I will reserve its more special functions for–er, special occasions."

"Whatever you want, Star. You could actually switch the feature off, but if you decide to use it, you should know that it only talks when you stop. It doesn't keep pointing things out while you're walking. That would be annoying, but wait 'till you hear what it says about Robin."

Robin somehow didn't like the sound of that.

Before Beast Boy could demand Starfire to point the cane in Robin's direction, the alarm sounded overhead.

Robin's first instinct was to go to the information panel. He punched in a few keys and a diagram of the city formed. A large dot bleeped to pinpoint the location and more information scrolled in a secondary window. "Local prison, titans. Plasmus is awake."

For the first time in their lives as superheroes, they were not quick to respond.

The most brutal reality of the situation grew clear at that moment: Starfire couldn't fight with them, possibly never again.

In unison, they looked to Starfire before they turned imploringly to Robin.

He made a motion to go to her. "Starf–"

"Go," she said in a firm and cold tone. She stood motionless, her expression stoic and her eyes trained to the monitor behind Robin, though she couldn't see. "There are people who need you at this very instant. I will be fine."

Robin sucked in his protests and nodded to the others. "Let's go."

Raven, Cyborg and Beast Boy rushed immediately to the elevator doors. Robin took a few hesitant steps before pausing to look at Starfire again. Her firepower was valuable in beating Plasmus in the past, and he knew how sorely they'd miss that later when they were battling the moving pile of sludge, but what Robin couldn't bear was the thought of leaving her all alone, on this day of all days.

"Robin, why are you still here? _Go!"_

It startled him, but he knew she was right. Cyborg, Raven and Beast Boy were waiting for him, almost impatiently, from the elevator.

Finally, he moved, and he placed a hand on her shoulder as he walked by.

He didn't know exactly what he was trying to convey with it. Perhaps he was trying to tell her many things; that he would be back; that she had to stay strong; that she had nothing to worry about...

Then the contact was gone, and his feelings of remorse; of leaving her behind rose anew. He joined the others in the elevator car.

He took one last glance at her as he turned to face the doors. He saw that she hadn't moved from her place, but she had her hand on where his had previously been.

And the doors hissed shut.

To be continued...


	5. Inevitabilities

Standard disclaimers apply.

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.**

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Five – Inevitabilities **

An explosion sent a deep tremor through the metallic walls of the high security prison. Smoke and heat blasted through the tunnel-like hallways accompanied by the shouts of terrified prison personnel. Water sprayed from the overhead sprinklers, soaking everything and everyone in five seconds.

Robin didn't need to tell the titans to go. As one, they rushed into the fray, dodging those running and slipping in the opposite direction with maneuvered leaps and twists.

Cyborg's robotic arm retracted with a whine and set his sonic cannon at the ready. It glowed blue against the smoke and water, and the set of his face showed nothing but an intense desire to go to battle.

Overhead, Beast Boy swooped as an eagle, flying ahead while Raven soared close behind.

There was another explosion, followed by a scream even more blood curdling than the former ones.

Someone was hurt and Robin had to grit his teeth against the welling fury inside him. Focusing on the escalating chaos, he thought that if there was ever a time Batman was right about emotions getting in the way of ones work, this would be it. Robin knew he needed to wipe the sound of that agonized scream from his mind if he was going to be successful in preventing it from happening again; he also had to forget that Starfire wasn't with them. There was little room for emotion now. Plasmus was hurting people and had to be stopped.

A third explosion erupted from the hallway and Robin realized with horror that too many people were too close to the blast. Helplessly, he threw his cape over the closest person he could protect and motioned to yell for Raven to work her powers. But he was cut short as soon as he realized that she hadn't needed any prompting. Black energy shot out from her hands and enveloped all of them in a shell of telekinesis. The blast hit the force field and rang through their ears, but every single scientist, law enforcer, civilian and titan within its perimeter was safe. Terrified, but safe.

The smoked cleared and the sprinklers died. Whether it got damaged or ran out of water, nobody would know.

Cyborg grinned. "Booyah! You the man, Raven!"

"Thanks, I think."

Robin nodded his thanks to Raven as the fleeing mob resumed its evacuation. "Titans, go!"

They rushed into Plasmus' holding facility and Beast Boy transformed back to himself. Chairs were overturned and computer panels were ripped through to its electronic innards. Sparks and crackles of electricity spat out from severed cables and the puddles of water on the concrete floor made it a serious concern. There were shards of thick glass everywhere and some of the smaller pieces crunched underfoot. Clumps of red goo were splattered in every direction and strangely enough, there were two or three soggy lab uniforms scattered atop some of the gunk.

A low, gurgling growl rumbled from somewhere in the room.

Beast Boy transformed into a wolf, flicked his ear and immediately pointed his nose, hunter-dog style, at a massive, overturned mainframe.

Robin flipped out his freeze disks and set them at ready. "Raven."

She nodded and raised a hand in front of her. "Azarath, metrion, _zinthos__!" _The black aura grew and devoured the mainframe, tossing it aside to reveal Plasmus.

It roared with its travesty of a face and a gaping maw that could swallow a person whole. He looked like a huge red, regurgitated wad of chewing gum, only with awkward arms and legs. He shot a blob of sludge and it hurtled directly at them.

Robin flipped to the side and saw the others jump to safety. He threw a freeze disk and it whirred straight into Plasmus' midsection. A third of his body instantly froze.

Cyborg aimed and fired. A blue blast of sonic energy beamed right through Plasmus' arm and sprayed gobs of Plasmus-slush in all directions.

Robin took off, jumped and spun clockwise, drawing his bo staff and letting it connect with Plasmus' frozen limb. The limb shattered under impact and Plasmus' gooey remains bellowed from its pile on the floor, infuriated by the indignity. His cries were cut short by two masses of heavy machinery, one dropped by Raven and another toppled over by Beast Boy in rhino form.

Beast Boy retransformed into himself again, frowning. "That can't be _it!"_

As soon as he said it, a suctioning, boiling gurgle drifted from the ground. The machinery weighing Plasmus down bucked and they jumped back, going into defensive stance.

Robin twirled his bo staff in one hand and cinched two fresh freeze disks in the other. "Get ready, titans!"

Beast Boy transformed into a gorilla, lifting a large steel pipe from the ground. Cyborg powered up his sonic cannon and Raven's hands glowed black.

Plasmus regrouped with a loud howl, throwing the mainframes from him with rage-fueled strength.

Robin and Raven had to duck to get away from the hurtling blocks of metal.

Rolling into stance, Robin launched another attack, and this time, the disks worked its way through half of Plasmus' body. Beast Boy jumped overhead and smashed his gigantic lead pipe into the frozen limb. Shards of ice littered the floor.

Plasmus' other half made a swing towards Beast Boy and Beast Boy jumped out of the way. A droplet of sludge caught him on his ear and it hissed against his skin.

He turned human and howled. "Yeowch! It's burning real bad! His _stuff's_ gone acidic!"

This alarmed Robin considerably.

When did _that_ happen? He looked around quickly. None of the sludge was eating through the metal, but when he saw the discarded lab uniforms, he realized with sick dread that Plasmus' slime had a particular taste for human flesh. The lab uniforms on the ground previously had scientists inside them, and now they were dead, consumed by what Plasmus has become.

Beast Boy whimpered. "If Starfire were here—"

"She's isn't, BB. Focus!" Robin said sternly. He knew they were all thinking it, but there was no use dwelling on it now. His eyes roved to the damaged cables and the large puddle of water, a plan forming in his head. "Cyborg, I'm thinking of electrifying this sucker without getting too close to him. Get him in the water!"

Cyborg looked up, saw the cables and nodded. He shot forward in a run. "Raven! Cover me!"

Raven nodded, concentrating on shielding Cyborg from Plasmus' sludgy missiles.

Cyborg slid, skidding on his back. His metallic body enabled him to withstand the acid, but some of it splashed on his arms. Ignoring the burning of his flesh, he was able to go into perfect position, and from his vantage point, he aimed his cannon. He fired a shot and it hit Plasmus head on, forcing him to stumble into a pool of water. "Fry him!"

Robin sprung into action. "Beast Boy, grab a live wire! Raven, hold him down!"

She swooped above Plasmus and spread her hands above him. "Azarath, metrion, _zinthos__!"_

Plasmus roared as Raven fought to contain him. Robin knew she couldn't contain him for very long. They had to act quickly.

Robin jumped, leaping and swinging over the debris. He grabbed a broken cable and pulled it from its loose clamps. Beast Boy's cable, though damaged, was much more secure in its casing, but with the strength of a gorilla, Beast Boy ripped it free and together, with Robin, plunged the torn edges of it into the water. The current immediately zipped through the pool, making a deep, metallic hum.

Raven pulled back her force field and the electricity coursed right through Plasmus in distinct high voltage pulses. Plasmus convulsed in stiff jerks, his deep growl filled with pain. A few seconds later, he bucked more violently and the smell of burning toxins filled the room. The hum of electricity grew louder and more intense.

Robin knew it wasn't going to be pretty. "Everyone take cover!"

As one, they jumped behind the farthest and largest piece of debris in the room. Raven muttered her mantra and created more protection with her telekinesis.

The explosion was messy. Pieces of Plasmus were thrown in all directions. The live cables were knocked out of the puddle and in the middle lay Otto Von Furth, motionless in a pool of blood-tainted water. Some of the hairs on his head were still smoldering, and there were parts of him charred raw. He was breathing, but he was unconscious.

Beast Boy frowned. "Is he dead?"

Robin shook his head. "No, but if we don't call in some help, he will be. Raven, could you walk us out of here? Some of the stuff's on the roof and we don't want any of that dripping on our heads."

Raven nodded, holding the force field steady.

Carefully, they walked out of the containment facility to report to the authorities.

With the information the Titans gathered in the battle with Plasmus, the round-up crew entered the facility in protective clothing where they were able to collect Otto's unconscious and burnt body. They put him in a back-up containment system, stabilized him and returned him to stasis.

The paramedics offered Beast Boy and Cyborg treatment for their injuries while Raven and Robin spread out among the authorities to see if they could gather some information.

It was a few more hours before they decided to head home, and as the car sped over the bay, Robin's thoughts inevitably drifted to the one who should have been there with them.

* * *

It was almost two o'clock when they arrived at the tower, and while the dim nightlights shone starkly against the shadows, the tower was mostly dark, almost as if it were empty.

_Almost,_ Robin thought miserably.

Droopy eyed, Beast Boy stumbled through the elevator doors when it opened to the chamber level. "I'm exhausted. Straight to bed for me."

Raven and Cyborg followed him, but Robin stayed in the elevator car.

Raven arched an eyebrow. "Robin, it's too late to obsess. You really should get to bed."

Robin reddened. "I'm not going to obsess. I just want to check out a few things, that's all."

Cyborg exchanged wry looks with Raven and Beast Boy. "Whatever, Robin. Just don't stay up too late."

Robin nodded. "Yeah. I'll see you guys tomorrow." Before they could say anything else, he punched the CLOSE button and waited for the elevator to move up to the recreation and information level.

Cyborg was wrong. He wasn't obsessing, or at least, not the way Cyborg thought. He was troubled, so he knew he couldn't sleep, and his adrenaline was still pumping in high gear. He'd probably play a few video games, just to get him to relax a bit; probably one of the easier games, like Space Invaders 3-D.

When the elevator doors opened, he saw that the room was bereft of lights as well. He left the elevator and switched the lights to the room open.

The first thing he noticed was that the tables were cleaned out. Whatever mess they left behind, Starfire had managed to put it away by herself. The surface of the table, except for the dent Cyborg's retractable cane left behind, was spotless. The plates and glasses they had used were lined up neatly in the drying tray by the sink, as well, though he did notice they were at least a couple of plates and glasses shy.

_She didn't have to wash the dishes,_ but he supposed he could understand why Starfire had done it. If _he_ had been the one left behind, he'd probably end up cleaning the whole tower.

He sighed, walking forlornly to the refrigerator for some chocolate milk. He took the plastic container, popped off the cap and drank straight from the bottle. It was as sour as anything.

He coughed, gagged and spat it out on the sink, spilling expired milk chocolate all over himself. He tore off his mask as a small clump of coagulated milk got in his eye. "Ouch! Mother fu—"

"Robin?"

Rinsing himself in the sink, he blinked through his haze and followed the sound to the couch. "Star?"

He heard her yawn and saw her stretching as she sat up. "What time is it? I was waiting for you and I dozed off…"

Wiping his face dry on a kitchen towel, he walked to the couch and sat beside her, watching her curiously. She had some pillow marks on face, and her cheeks were rosy with sleep. Her hair was a mess and her clothes were rumpled. She looked about as tousled as anyone straight from bed; she must have been sleeping there for quite some time. "It's two in the morning and we just got back… you were waiting for me here? How did you even know I would come by? I could've gone straight to bed."

She chuckled. "After fighting with super-villains? I think not."

Robin blinked. "Am I _that_ predictable? God, that's depressing."

Starfire smiled. "Not predictable, _dependable. _I wanted to know how everyone fared. Is everyone undamaged?"

"Dependable…" He chuckled at that. "Everyone's relatively fine. Beast Boy and Cyborg suffered some injuries, but nothing serious. Plasmus went weird on us. His sludge could suddenly eat through human skin, but we found it out before he could really harm us. There are still a lot of things we don't know about the case, but the prison warden agreed to send us yesterday's recordings of the containment facility from the security cams. And then I'll have to look over the casualty reports…"

She began to look somber. "Did anyone… die?"

"A few scientists."

She sighed. "More deaths. I wish… I wish I could have been there to help—to prevent it, at least."

"Reports said they were dead before the systems made contact with us. There was nothing we could have done."

"And I—" She paused, taking a deep breath. It quivered, like she was about to cry, but she didn't, and she leaned back on the couch, eyes dry and staring blankly ahead. "I am useless this way, Robin. As I am, I could not fight. I could not help! I will be nothing but a stay-in in this wonderful place, yet I have lost my right to be here—"

He took hold of her hand, squeezing firmly. "Star, you promised not to lose faith. Remember? You _promised."_

"But Robin—"

"I won't let you talk about yourself like that. You haven't _lost any right._ If anything, you've earned your right to stay with us, especially since this happened to you."

She shook her head, growling in frustration. "I am a liability!"

"Stop that! Just _stop! _Listen to me, Star. The last time you convinced yourself that we didn't want you around, you _left. _You left and—and you _almost got killed._ I _won't_ let you do that again, you hear me? I don't want you to go anywhere. I want you to stay. Do you remember that time we fought Warp? You said you went twenty years into the future and that the titans weren't friends anymore. It happened because a part of us was missing… you were that missing part. If you leave us, now… it'll be _r'kma_ all over again…"

Her jaw dropped, perhaps his words getting through to her. "I-I do not want to call _r'kma_ upon us…" she whispered. "But look at me. I cannot—I cannot even cook anymore. I cannot even be the one to buy us pizza!"

He chuckled miserably. "Oh, Star… you shouldn't be worrying about these things. You just got home. You only got out of the hospital. Things will get better, I promise you that."

She fell silent, seemingly unconvinced.

He wanted to put his arm around her to give her some comfort, but he suddenly felt self-conscious about it. It wasn't surprising that he had lately been more aware that they were boy and girl rather than best friends, but it still made him squirm. It also made him wonder if Starfire felt the same way. Maybe he'd feel less weird about it if he knew that she did.

She did her familiar head-tilt, turning her blank gaze on him. "Robin, if I… if I could fight—the way I am—would you let me fight with the team again?"

This was certainly something he didn't expect. "W-Well—I—it depends, really…"

"If I learn how to fight _very well,_ in my condition…"

"But Star—"

"You can teach me. I know you can! I have watched you _kick the butt_ of Cyborg blindfolded and with one hand tied behind your back! Do not deny it!"

He _was_ going to deny it, but he clamped his mouth shut the moment she told him not to. Teach Starfire how to fight? He had trained almost all his life to do the things he could do. His parents trained him to be an acrobat and Batman trained him to be a fighter. His experience in actual combat situations taught him even more. A lot of the things he did couldn't been learned in the dojo and even if he could teach it, would Starfire be able to apply it? Starfire's fighting technique was vastly different from his own…

"Please, Robin. I could—I could do it. Father..." Her voice trailed and for a moment, he thought she wasn't going to go on, but she took a deep breath and continued. "Blackfire and I were sent to the Warlords of Okaara for training, and we were taught fighting techniques that could be applied to yours. I could still remember some of it. I just need to learn how to do it without my eyes. If I prove to be inept, you don't have to keep teaching me."

Both her hands were now clasping his, and while her eyes conveyed nothing, she waited for his response imploringly. He really didn't know what to say.

As the silence lengthened, she sighed. "At least think about it. You do not have to give me an answer now."

He found some relief in that. He nodded. "Alright. I'll give it some thought." It wasn't that he didn't want to teach her, it was a question of whether he could.

She grinned. "I am glad…" But her voice trailed while her grin disappeared. She gasped. "Robin… is this your mask?"

He looked and saw that she had his mask twined in her fingers. He had forgotten about it. "Oh… well, yeah. Some of the chocolate milk—" He was startled when she touched his face with her fingers. "I… I—uh…" For some strange reason, his heart raced, and he felt slightly heady when she leaned just a little bit closer. "K-Kori?"

"I have never seen you without your mask," she said in an awe-stricken voice. "Why is it that you have never taken it off before?"

It was difficult to concentrate when her fingers were sliding over the planes of his face. Her hands smelled like spring flowers… probably because of the dish soap, but it mixed with her own bodily scent, and it wasn't unpleasant. "Well I—" He swallowed. "I don't—I don't know…"

And the truth was, he really didn't. Every morning, he got up, and whether or not he got into his uniform, the mask was always there to put on. It just seemed to him that he felt _comfortable_ that way.

"You have a very nice nose, Richard."

"I do?" The softness of her hands was mildly distracting and he wondered how it was that her fingertips on his cheeks felt infinitely more different than when he held her hand in his. It was the gloves, he knew, but he hadn't realized her fingers could be so gentle.

She nodded. "Um-hmm."

"Well—uh—so do you…" It was for lack of anything better to say. It was, anyway, the truth.

She giggled. "And rather deep-set eyes, which is perhaps why your mask was so effective at hiding them altogether. I could hardly tell what color your eyes are. It's just something I would like to know."

"They're blue," he replied in a somewhat hushed tone. No need to shout. She was close enough to hear.

"Blue..."

It was like her voice floated in air and he was momentarily mesmerized by it.

Slowly, her fingers traveled down his face and unexpectedly ran lightly over his lips.

The contact sent an overwhelming rush of images in his mind; images that were unutterable in polite conversation. It made him feel terribly guilty, and strangely confused.

The calm was gone, and whatever hypnotic effect her touch may have had was completely shattered by the pounding of his heart. He pulled back instantly, gingerly pushing her hands away from him as he moved farther from her on the couch. "Whoa, hey!"

He gasped, and he was surprised to realize that he had been holding his breath.

Starfire shrunk back, her face flushed. "I—I am sorry! I did not mean to be so invasive! It's just that the more I touched, the more I could see it in my mind… I am so sorry—"

_"It's okay!"_ He said it almost too urgently, and he wanted to hit himself when he saw that his tone had made her shrink back even more. He calmed himself down. "It's fine! It's just—I'm not used to anyone—you know…" He let out another deep breath.

"I am sorry…"

"S-Stop apologizing, Star. It was nothing, really. Nothing." _Maybe if you say 'nothing' a third time, you could convince yourself, Grayson._ He stifled a groan. "It's really late. We should go to bed. I mean—" _Oh, man… _He suddenly didn't feel like saying anything anymore.

After a brief silence, she spoke. "Yes, Robin, you should get some sleep."

He didn't think that was forthcoming, but he hadn't the sense to argue at the moment. "Yeah, I should."

She pulled the walking cane from beneath the couch and stood. "I have been practicing with this, sans the commentary, and I think I have done well enough. I have managed, at least, to walk from here to my room all by myself."

Again, he couldn't help but be shocked by how quickly she was adapting. It was certainly unusual for a person who had, just a few hours ago, never used a walking cane before to gain skill so soon after she first took it to task. Her rapid development baffled him, but he realized that explaining it, at this point, was beyond him. He would just have to be glad that she was learning very, very fast.

She continued to speak. "I wandered into Beast Boy's room by mistake, earlier. I could tell by the odd smell, like too many mixed colognes. But it inspired me to—well, I wandered a bit into the rest of the rooms, as well. I only stood at the door, really. I did not want to intrude without permission, but I am glad I did."

As they made their way to their chambers, Starfire continued to tell him about her misadventures in her dark tower; how strange it was to realize that one never really knew how many rooms one was from the left until one was completely bereft of sight. And then she told him how she could tell whose room she was in by certain distinct scents. Like when she wandered into Cyborg's room, she could smell steel, and the metallic tang of power cells. And when she happened upon Raven's room, which she really couldn't enter but had passed by along the way, she smelled incense, in lilies and cinnamon and orange spice.

"It was nice, like I had something else to distinguish each of you by because I could no longer see your faces."

Robin arched an eyebrow. "I don't think lilies and cinnamon and orange spice fits Raven…"

She chuckled. "Silly. Raven is not like lilies, cinnamon and orange spice. You have to think that _they are_ like _her."_

Robin couldn't see it, but if it suited Starfire, he had no problem with it.

"And then there is _your_ room," she said, grinning. "It was so odd, because I did not smell _anything."_

"You didn't?"

"No. Do you disinfect in there everyday?"

"Well, not everyday… or else it would smell like—well, disinfectant."

She laughed. "It is probably as spotless as the first day you moved into it. But _you_ have a scent. I could smell your shampoo. It's like cucumber and melon."

"Hey, I just use what you give us after you do the shopping."

He was astonished when she leaned over and tiptoed, just to give him a good sniff. Two things surprised him: first, that she was so quick to recover from the awkwardness that was the episode on the couch; and second, that he was suddenly taller than she was. When did this growing occur and why hadn't he noticed it until now? And why wasn't she more affected by what happened on the couch? Didn't it mean anything at all?

_Not that it was supposed to,_ he added in thought as he frowned to himself.

She grinned. "Yes, Cucumber and Melon Spray. I chose that scent for you in the _Bath and Body_ store. You smell very nice, Richard."

Robin flushed. Why was she doing and saying all of these things? Didn't she know that his hormones were raging and that he couldn't help think certain things when she _said_ certain things?

When they finally arrived at her bedroom door, he was partially relieved and partially something else. She smiled, said goodnight and retired, leaving him alone in the dim hallway.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he made his way to his room. He felt exhausted and still shaken from his experience with Starfire in the Info and Rec Room. He had always considered Starfire attractive, but so did the rest of Jump City, if the mail she received from drooling fan boys was any indication, so he thought it a natural thing that he would sometimes see just how beautiful she was. However, until that evening, when she _touched his lips…_ it was suddenly different. Not entirely bad, but _different,_ therefore a little bit weird.

"God, get a grip, Grayson," he muttered, stepping into his room.

He told himself it was nothing, once; twice; perhaps even three times, as he went through his bedtime rituals. When he was finally nestled under the covers, his last thought was that it seemed he had told himself it was _nothing_ one too many times.

* * *

Robin peeled his eyes open against the dimness of his bedroom, the rays of the sun filtering through his blinds in narrow slits. It felt like his eyelids had sandpaper underneath, the way it scraped when he lifted them, but he knew he had to get up. He supposed it was late enough as it was.

He had work to do, and he couldn't afford to be lazy. Turning, he looked at his table clock and saw that it was seven in the morning.

_Overslept,_ he thought miserably. It was just as well. He probably needed the sleep anyway.

Dragging himself out of bed, he readied himself for the day. After he had showered, shaved, and put on his uniform, he went to his dresser and put the finishing touch to his look: his mask.

He stared at it and for the first time in a long time, he actually gave some thought about putting it on. It had been so mechanical to him these past few years living with the Titans. Living with Bruce Wayne, he walked around the house in casual clothing and lived Dick Grayson's life when he wasn't Robin. He only put on the mask and uniform when they were on the job, but since he left to form the Titans, he was always just Robin now.

_It just seemed easier that way, is all_. He shrugged, sliding his mask on.

_So much easier to hide behind the mask. _The timbre his thoughts took astonished him. Somehow, that last thought had echoed another voice he used to hear so often. His eyes roved to the plastic bat hanging from the corner of his room; a token from Beast Boy at last year's Halloween celebrations.

He frowned. _Why did I even keep that thing anyway?_

Grabbing his T-Comm, he strode out of his room. He headed for the upper levels and as he stepped out of the elevator, he saw Starfire in the kitchen.

She wasn't in uniform.

Robin stared at her, eyebrow arching in mild perplexity. She was _in jeans; _a pair of those things girls called _bootcut__…_ something or other. And she had on a cotton flannel peasant t-shirt that sort of flared at the waist. Also, she had her hair styled in a loose half ponytail. She looked very pretty, but whatever this look was supposed to be, he couldn't have been more surprised if she had been in a potato sack. _What was she doing in plain clothes? _

He had seen her in plain clothes before, of course; a few times in the past, on very rare occasions. He had seen her in a prom dress; she was the prettiest girl at the dance, but even then, she managed to hide her Titan uniform underneath. As crime fighters, they were on-call twenty four seven, which was why seeing her out of uniform was slightly discomfiting.

"Star?"

She did not turn to look at him, but she replied. "Good morning, Richard Grayson! I am glad you are awake. Do you wish to break fast with me over cereal in a bowl?" Carefully, she felt for two bowls in the cupboard and brought out one yellow, one blue. Running her hands over the lower drawers, she was able to pull out two spoons.

"Sure." His questioning gaze remained on her as he brought out the box of cereal and the milk.

"Would you care for some fresh fruits on your cereal?" she asked.

"We have fresh fruits?"

"Not really, but if you wanted some, I would feel very bad."

He felt a smile trying to crack through his ponderous frown. "Then no, I don't want any fruits."

"Good! If you want coffee, you must make some for both of us."

"Yeah, sure, I'll make some—Kori, why are you dressed that way?" His curiosity had finally gotten the better of him.

She frowned. "You do not like the way I look?"

"It's not _that. _You look real—" He flushed. _"—nice, _but… it's just that…" Now that he was going to ask, "Why aren't you in uniform?" the answer suddenly dawned on him. She didn't _need _to be in uniform. Somehow, she had accepted that if something or someone attacked Jump City, she wasn't going anywhere. It was depressing, but it was the way things were.

"Just that what?"

"Nothing."

She smiled, willing to leave his answer at that. She let him pour the cereal and milk (which unlike its chocolate counterpart, was still quite fresh), giggling as she daintily struggled not to make a mess as she ate it.

Watching her seem so carefree made him feel a bit better.

She leaned her elbows on the counter, "So, what shall you be doing today?"

"Oh, I'm expecting some footage to be ready today, from the prison. And I have some reports to study."

"Sounds—er, exciting."

"'Could hardly wait."

Their pause was followed by a shared laugh, muted, of course, as was their wont. Her gaze remained blank, but he was glad that he was already learning to read her facial expressions, made slightly different by the condition of her eyes. The tone of her voice and her laughter had taken on distinct timbres for him, and her smile, too, had gained noticeably varied degrees. Though he knew that he was nowhere near deciphering all of them, he was confident that he had gotten off to a good start.

"I will be calling the Braille Institute today," she said. "I shall make immediate enrollment. Perhaps if I learn fast enough, I will be able to help you at least with these… _exciting_ reports."

He grinned. "Sounds like a plan. I could use some help."

By the time the other titans emerged from their bedrooms, Starfire had made the necessary calls for her Braille classes and Robin had finished making arrangements to pick up the information he needed from last night's attack.

Starfire asked Cyborg and Beast Boy if they were well and they went into their usual routine, overplaying their pain and the brave way they kept fighting in spite of it.

Robin and Raven exchanged wry looks.

Nobody mentioned Starfire's fashion statement, but Robin was sure the three of them would ask him about it when Starfire wasn't there.

Cyborg took a two minute breakfast and said that he was going to be in the garage if anyone needed him. Beast Boy, who had probably been looking forward to playing Game Station with him, rolled his eyes and headed to the couch by himself. He loaded his saved game of _Samurai Mission _and fell right into it.

"Hey Starfire, I can help you with your closet right now if you want," Raven said.

"Glorious! Let us go that, then. Robin, what time shall you be going to the city? I would like to go with you, so that I may enroll for my classes."

Robin had been thinking about going that morning, but it was so easy to make an adjustment for Starfire. Besides, as Cyborg said, he would be working on the car, which would likely last all morning. "Some time after lunch. I'll let you know when I'm ready to go."

"Excellent! Shall we, Raven?"

"Let's go."

The girls left and Robin joined Beast Boy on the couch. He remembered again what had transpired on that couch barely seven hours ago and he reddened, stifling a groan.

Beast Boy screamed. "Damn that ogre! I couldn't get past him!"

Robin had also been wondering what he would do about Starfire's request for training. It could take _years,_ but he supposed it could be good for her. It was at least productive, and it would keep her from leaving. He had to work out a program, of course, but he first had to see what Starfire could do. She certainly seemed to have adapted quickly enough. It had barely been two days since she got back to the tower and already she was getting around it on her own. What did she mean when she said her father sent her and Blackfire to the Warlords of Okaara? It sounded like boot camp, but tougher, like they trained with burly, Lord of the Rings type of men. Why would a father send his two daughters to a place like that? It wasn't _wrong,_ or anything like that, but it was very weird.

Beast Boy jumped to his feet, dropped his controller and pulled at his hair. "Argh! What do I have to do to get rid of that _thing?_ I've been stuck in this stage for a total of ten hours now!"

Robin sighed. He needed a change of scenery. "Beast Boy, you _don't_ get rid of him. You go around him via the forest. When you get the Spear of Orinaga, the ogre will show up again and _then_ you'll be able to fight him. Look, I gotta go to the garage… see if the T-Car will be ready for use later." He left the couch and headed for the elevator.

Beast Boy stared at the screen to absorb Robin's advice before he snapped to his senses and turned to look at him. "H-Hey! Boy Wonder! Why was Starfire dressed like that? What did you do to her?

Robin frowned. "Me? I didn't do anything!" And before he could say anything more, the elevator doors closed.

* * *

Cyborg was deep into the hood of the T-Car when Robin arrived. Working on the T-Car and maintaining it was Cyborg's favorite pastime, which was why the car was more his than anyone else's.

Robin was about to call Cyborg's attention when the glint of the 999R-Cycle caught his eye. He frowned, wondering if he ought to throw a blanket over the thing.

"Hey champ. What can I do you for?"

Shaking his thoughts from the motorcycle, Robin replied. "Is the car going to be ready anytime after lunch?"

"It'll be done even before that. Going to the city?" Cyborg picked up a towel, wiped his hands on it and turned to lean on the car.

"Yeah. I have to stop by the prison to get some stuff from last night. I'll be driving for Star too. She needs to enroll for her Braille classes."

"Cool." Cyborg chuckled. "Star… she's something, ain't she? Didn't even take time off to feel sorry for herself."

"She's something alright."

"What's with the clothes, though? I mean, she looks nice and all—"

Robin nodded ponderously. "Oh, yeah."

Cyborg arched an eyebrow.

"What?"

Cyborg gave him a mysterious look before going on. "So why the clothes change?"

Robin shrugged. "Oh, I think she's just accepted what the rest of us haven't, that's all. If the city calls, it's not like she could fight with us."

Cyborg sighed, shaking his head. "It's not fair, I tell you. That girl don't deserve fate to be so mean to her. You know, when I was with her in the hospital, she kept asking about you."

_"Me?"_

"Yeah. She kept asking about how you were doing, whether you were obsessing again and stuff like that. That girl cares a lot about you."

Robin reddened. He didn't feel comfortable discussing this, so he quickly changed the subject. "Last night, she asked me to teach her how to fight—you know, the way she is. She wants to be able to fight well enough to join the team again. I… I don't know."

Cyborg shrugged. "Why not? When she's willing, she could do pretty cool things."

"I know, but—" Robin sighed. "The only way I could teach her is if I teach her the way Batman taught me, and that was tough. That was like boot camp with my drill sergeant hanging off my back the whole time. I mean, should I drive her that hard?"

"Champ, she took a hit from Cinderblock and lived. If that hasn't convinced you she's tough enough, then you're not doing her justice, bro."

"You have a point."

"Of course. So uhh—she… asked this of you last night? I didn't catch that at dinner."

Robin felt a flush rise in his cheeks. "Not at dinner. She was in the Info and Rec room when we got home from Plasmus. We had a talk."

Cyborg stared at him, narrowing his good eye at Robin.

"What?"

Cyborg turned his attention back to the car. "Nothing. Hey, you know what Starfire would really like? A ride on your motorcycle."

Robin frowned. "It's too hot out to ride a bike."

"Oh, I don't think so."

"I think so."

"Man, I don't know what issues you have with that bike, but can't you just put those aside for one lame-ass ride into the city that Starfire would enjoy?"

Robin bit back his angry retort. Cyborg was suggesting something perfectly reasonable, and whatever issues Robin had with Batman, Cyborg didn't deserve to get caught in the crossfire.

_And neither does Starfire. _He sighed. "Look, Cy. You have no idea what I'm willing to sacrifice for Starfire."

"You're absolutely right, I don't. I _haven't seen_ any limit yet to what you're willing to sacrifice for her, so I figured what's a little bike ride, right?"

Robin rolled his eyes. "Cyborg, you haven't the slightest clue… but fine, you made your point."

Cyborg laughed. "Booyah. Beast Boy was right, Mr. Competitive Boy Wonder's so easy when Starfire is involved. You're _Star-_Struck."

"What! Hey, that is _not_ true!"

"Eh, I guess not. Hey, one of the guys I know from the racing association wants me to introduce him to Star. I think he wants me to set them up on a date or something. He's a really nice guy. Kinda looks like Aqualad, so we know he's her type. Think I should tell him to wait a while until she's gotten fully adjusted to—"

"Yeah, well Aqualad this: Tell him she's _busy!" _Robin's fist clenched. _The nerve of these guys!_

Cyborg laughed again. "Ha, gocha! You see? _Easy!"_

Robin's gaze narrowed to slits. _Not funny. _"Cyborg, I have to get back inside."

Cyborg kept laughing.

Slightly incensed, Robin left Cyborg without saying goodbye. Getting in the elevator and punching the button for the chamber level, he decided to head straight to his room. He had one more person to call, and perhaps he could attribute that decision to Cyborg's lecturing.

The elevator doors opened and he stepped out in the hallway. Passing Starfire's room, he could hear the muted voices of both girls. He couldn't make out the words, but he really didn't care to eavesdrop. Starfire and Raven needed time to talk. As the girls in the team, they had a special relationship all their own. They were about as different from each other as two different people could be, but they had worked that out, quite amazingly, when the Puppet King unwittingly switched their bodies with their minds. It was surreal to see Starfire's body talking and acting like Raven, and weirder still to watch Raven's face light up and smile in the way Starfire did. But as screwed up as it was, it did wonderful things to how each girl perceived each other, and suddenly their differences didn't seem so daunting anymore.

He heard Starfire's laughter and he smiled before he stepped into his room.

The room was as dark as always, reminiscent of a certain cave that he used to hang around in during days past. The large computer with its sixty inch by sixty inch screen was a miniature of the Bat Computer, except that it had a robin insignia at the top and its files were more oriented to the Jump City super villains. It packed just about as much power and features as the mainframe in the Info and Rec room, but his system was more personalized, and while all of the computer programs he had perfected on his computer were always promptly transferred to the Titan Comp, his hard-disk contained—in his humble opinion—some of the most potentially awesome programs in crime-fighting history, bugged-ridden as they were at the moment.

He sat on the cushioned chair and swiveled in it for a moment. On one of his superbly organized shelves, he saw the Slade Files and he sighed. So many hours he had spent in this room to catch the son-of-a-bitch and Slade still almost ended up killing his friends.

Watching Starfire glow orange from all those nano-probes, writhing on the ground in pain… it broke his heart to see her like that and he wanted to kill Slade right then and there…

_Ah, Robin. You're stalling._

Shaking his head, he swiveled again and he set his focus on a drawer-like panel to the left of his chair at knee level. Sighing, he punched a code on the keyboard, logging him into his computer. He accessed the necessary programs, entered a password and caused the panel below to slide open with a hiss. In it sat a cell-phone-like device, except that this had only one frequency and it had a silver, almost iridescent bat embedded into its chrome surface.

Taking a deep breath, he picked it up, flipped it open and pressed a button.

It beeped twice in ten second intervals, and then a voice filtered through its tiny speaker. "My, my, my. I haven't seen this frequency working in a long time."

"Hello, Bruce."

"Dick. I was wondering when you would call me."

To be continued…

* * *

Closing notes: Everything about Robin and Starfire's backgrounds in the previous chapter was based on Teen Titan comic book lore. I diverted a little, as you may have noticed, since I based Starfire and Blackfire's relationship from its conception in the show, but a lot of it was canon, particularly the events surrounding Dick Grayson's family and my vague retelling of his meeting with Batman.

Also, I've been trying to convey a dysfunctional relationship between Dick and Bruce since Chapter Three. I'd like to know if I'm interpreting it effectively, if not correctly.

In case you were wondering where I got Plasmus' name… I didn't make it up; more comic lore.

Hoped you liked Cyborg's magic cane. ::gets pelted by rotten tomatoes:: But I thought you'd forgive me for that when I gave a little on the RS romance!! ::gets pelted still::

* * *


	6. Possibilities and Petty Fights

Standard disclaimers apply.

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.**

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Six – Possibilities and Petty Fights**

"Dick. I was wondering when you would call me."

Robin arched an eyebrow.

"I pegged you for a middle-of-this-week kind of caller," Bruce continued.

Somehow, Robin wasn't surprised that Batman sounded like he was expecting his call. It still irked him, though. The guy could at least humor him and pretend his call was a pleasant surprise. Then again, that wouldn't be like Bruce. "What, did you hack into the SF Bay Medical Center systems to find out why the Boy Wonder was spending so much time in the hospital?"

"I was actually expecting you to call and apologize for missing the grand opening of the Gotham City Cancer Research Facility last week."

Robin rolled his eyes. He _never_ apologized for missing openings and Bruce _never _expected him to; this was more of Bruce's way of saying he would _never_ allow anyone to preempt him, especially the Boy Wonder.

"However, just so you know, I didn't need to hack into any computer to have access to your daily affairs. There was a small item in the gossip section of the Gotham Daily that—shall we say—told me their version of it."

Robin frowned. "The Gotham Daily still writes about me?"

"Well, don't sound so surprised, Dick. This old town still considers Robin as a Gotham-grown superhero, so you're always on the gossip section. Last week, you apparently had a lovechild with Starfire, thus it's all too clear what you were doing in the hospital a few days ago; you were accompanying her to her pre-natal check-ups."

Robin groaned.

"I didn't believe it, of course. A utility belt has everything but the kitchen-sink in it, and I was pretty sure that you had enough sense to fit _safety measures _somewhere in it. Besides, Alfred said that you would have told _him _about it if you were in _that_ kind of mess. Be that as it may, this morning's paper confirmed that Starfire just got out of the hospital, _not_ because she just had her ultra-sound, but because she was recovered enough of her injuries to be released."

_Recovered enough? Who _wrote_ these articles? _"The Gotham Daily writes too much crap. Really, they're all a bunch of hacks."

"They serve their purpose. I received a memo from one of my more brilliant research scientists this morning. He's a specialist in Alien Life Form Biology and Medicine. Apparently, he was referred by a colleague of his to one Dr. Angelica Peii. She was asking if there was any technology or study involving the restoration of sight in a typical Tamaranian Female, and if not, she had a possible subject that may be willing to cooperate, if such a study interested them. Well, my scientist is interested, and he said that if I would be willing to provide the funding, he would prepare all documents necessary to obtain said Tamaranian Female's consent. Since the Earth isn't exactly crawling with Tamaranians, I could only assume this Dr. Peii is talking about Starfire."

Robin frowned, massaging his brow. "Bruce—seriously, this is just like every conversation we've had in the past and it's _irritating _me. You _don't_ have to _know everything, okay?_ Please, just cut me some slack and don't make me feel like an idiot."

Bruce, at the other end, chuckled. "I take no pains to annoy you, Dick. It seems to come naturally with me."

Robin clenched his jaw, screamed silently and breathed for control. Robin leaned back in his chair and scrubbed off his mask. It suddenly felt like it was squeezing his eyes out. "Starfire… Kori lost her ability to see. The doctors said she sustained damage to her retina and macula, and that there is nothing they could do to give her sight back. Bruce, if there's any hope at all that you could help her… please, I am asking you—I'm begging you… I'm on my knees right now."

"Are you, really?"

Robin paused. It was one thing when he was exaggerating, another when it became an all out lie.

"I thought not, but that was a decent request, cheesy lies aside. Of course I'll see what I can do. Has she agreed to see me?"

"I still have to ask her. I just wanted to make sure from you, first. I didn't want to give her any false leads."

"Of course you didn't. Let me know and we'll make arrangements. You know I can't promise you she'll see again, but she'll have the best scientists money could buy working on it, and of course I'll keep my nose in it, so to speak. My scientists could do great things when they have me hanging off their back. You know me."

"Yeah, a bit too well."

Bruce chuckled. "You know where to call me."

Robin ran a hand through his hair. _Yes, he did. _"I'll talk to you soon, Bruce."

"I'll be waiting for your call."

"Oh, and Bruce… thanks. For this… and maybe even the motorcycle."

_"Maybe?"_

Robin chuckled. "Maybe. You could take it back if you think I'm ungrateful."

"And give you the satisfaction? No. Keep the damn bike."

Robin gave a derisive grunt. "I might, after all. Kori likes it, so…"

"Oh, _Kori_ likes it. That makes everything all better, doesn't it? Maybe she _is_ having your lovechild."

Robin rolled his eyes again. People said Bruce didn't have a sense of humor but Robin would beg to differ. Bruce had a sense of humor, alright, just a very lousy one. "Goodbye, Bruce."

"Goodbye, _Dick."_

They cut the line and Robin folded the phone over, replacing it in its drawer. He gave it a nudge and the drawer closed with a soft hiss.

* * *

Some time around lunch, Starfire announced that her closet was "gloriously perfect" thanks to Raven, whose "magnanimity was descended of angels".

Raven was impassive to Starfire's praise, mainly because she didn't like being called "magnanimous" and "angelic". But Raven told Starfire that if she needed anymore help, she would always be willing to lend it.

Inevitably, arguments about lunch arose, but Raven and Starfire conspired to settle the matter by ordering Chinese take-out for everyone, to be picked up by Raven in ten minutes. Beast Boy and Cyborg were still arguing when Raven put down the phone.

Robin couldn't care less, but he shot Raven and Starfire a wry look.

Raven shrugged nonchalantly. "Star and I had a craving for Kung Pao Chicken."

Stafire grinned. "Kung Pao…"

Robin deferred from mentioning that Cyborg was going to have a Kung _Pow_ fit when he found out. Cyborg didn't like Chinese. Oh, he thought the food was fine; he just thought the portions too small. But all in all, when Raven set out then arrived with the food, they all ate it with relatively minimal griping.

Finally, Robin and Starfire were ready to leave. When they got to the garage, Robin took a deep breath and removed two helmets and one riding jacket from the racks. He handed a helmet and the jacket to Starfire. "Here," he muttered.

When she got hold of the gear, she palmed it a moment before recognition fell upon her. She gasped, and then smiled. "Really, Robin? We will take the motorized cycle?"

He couldn't believe it himself. He blew a breath through his teeth. "Yeah."

"Wonderful! This day is just becoming more glorious by the moment!" She slid on her helmet gingerly, making sure she had it on right before she slipped into the jacket. She zipped the jacket shut and declared that she was ready.

Robin tried not to dwell so much on the fact that she looked good in biker-gear by putting his own biker gear on. He twisted a dial on the side of his helmet and the visor lowered. He secured himself on the bike before helping Starfire to get on behind him.

"Hold—"

"Tight? Yes, I know."

Robin believed he almost had a coronary when she pressed and hugged a bit too snugly than he expected. He didn't know how long it took him to recompose himself, but Starfire had to call his attention, asking him if something was wrong.

"You have no idea…"

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

He lifted the bike upright, folded back the paddock with his foot and started the engine. It made a beautiful sound, as all perfect machines did, and he cursed Bruce one more time.

_Bruce knew I couldn't resist something as gorgeous as this… damn him!_

Robin revved its engine and Starfire giggled. He sighed softly, frustrated with himself. _Couldn't resist…_

He shot forward, heading for the underground emergency shoot.

* * *

Robin and Starfire arrived at the city in record time. He didn't mean to break speed limits, but by forgetting how he acquired the motorcycle, he actually enjoyed riding the thing. It was the most powerful cycle in the market, and it had been so long since he last used it that he almost forgot how much of a dream riding it had been. He was mildly concerned about how Starfire was taking it. After all, he couldn't hear her through the roar of the engine, but after he pulled up in the prison parking lot and turned to check on her, she slipped off her helmet, shook her hair loose and gasped, a wide smile on her face.

"That was most breathtaking, Robin! Such speed on a motorcycle could be such an exhilarating experience!" With her cheeks flushed and her hair tousled, Robin couldn't help but think that there was something infinitely more breathtaking than a fast ride on a 999cc motorcycle.

He took off his helmet and with Starfire leaning on his arm, they walked into the prison facility. They were in and out of the Warden's office quickly enough. The warden was a busy man and dedicated as little time to chit chat as possible. He did, however, show a moment's hesitation when he saw Starfire in plain clothes. He greeted her politely and told her that he was glad she seemed to be feeling much better from her confinement in the hospital. He was discrete enough not to mention her absence in the previous night's conflict. Instead, he told Starfire that many of the prisoners and a majority of the prison personnel would be glad to know she was up and about.

Robin wasn't even surprised she had fans in prison.

Packing the surveillance tapes and reports underneath his seat, he brought Starfire to the Braille Institute. Enrollment was quick, and even before Star left the campus, she already had homework packed in paper bags. Already, they had sent her off with workbooks and audio lessons she could listen to before she started classes the following week. She was ecstatic.

As they headed back to the motorcycle, Robin looked up at the cloudless sky. There was a gentle breeze blowing and the day wasn't all that hot. The day seemed perfect for some cold Bubble Tea.

He had to talk to Starfire anyway, and he might as well do so out of the tower. "You know, it's a pretty nice day out. What do you think about hanging out at the Bayside Park for a while? We'll grab a couple of bubble teas."

She paused for a few seconds before she nodded. "That sounds nice, Robin. Yes, let us go to the park and have some bubble in tea."

He brought them to a relatively quiet part of the park where they could find lots of shade under the many trees and not be bothered by ill-meaning seagulls.

Sitting cross-legged on the grass, Robin took in the serene view. In the backdrop, he could see the bay and a small T perched on the distant island. It made him chuckle. Unlike most people, he had little reason to look at that T with awe. He knew what went on inside it; the loud burping; the explosive kitchen equipment; the cries of despair when a pimple made an appearance... to him, there was absolutely no mystery.

There were very few people in the park at that time of the day. The office goers had finished with their lunches and the remaining few were merely enjoying the quiet. There were a few walking their dogs, even less sitting on the benches with a book or something else to occupy their time. At one corner of the park, a boy and his Labrador were playing fetch with a Frisbee while at another corner a couple sat under a tree, making out unabashedly.

Robin watched them with mild curiosity.

As the former ward of a billionaire and a young superhero, girls had only ever become a problem when he first began to notice them. While Bruce had appointed himself as Dick Grayson's guardian, the billionaire never did give him the talk about the birds and the bees. He had been young and on his own, so he was lucky he had Alfred to see to his questions, but Robin still remembered how rocky of a start puberty had been.

The girls, usually older than his twelve years, were eager and "accommodating"; always willing to give him "a good time", but it was still difficult to ride on that at the beginning; when he had little to no experience with the opposite sex, emotionally _and_ physically. He eventually learned how to deal with those women (some more closely than most), but it was not without first-try mishaps. His first ever kiss was definitely something he wouldn't soon forget.

It wasn't nearly as _involved_ as that of the lovers he was watching at the other side of the park at the moment. He couldn't remember for sure if there had been anything more than lips in it, but he remembered that it had been very awkward, and he had felt half-lightheaded, half-queasy that Bruce would find out and be terribly displeased (that he was getting it on with the commissioner's niece), or worse, terribly _amused._

Fortunately, thirteen year old Barbara Gordon, or Babs—then the love of his life, at twelve, no less—had a firmer grasp of the situation. After their kiss, she saw the look on his face, giggled and said, "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. It'll be our little secret."

It turned out to be a bigger secret than he thought. After that first kiss, Babs disappeared for a while, came back, and became _Batgirl._ Bad timing for Dick, who had, sooner than he expected, gotten over being dumped by the bat girl even before he could figure out if there was _something_ and was, around that time, having just about enough of the bat _guy._

When he left to form the Titans, Bruce just shook his hand and Babs blew him a kiss, and that was that as far as relationships were concerned.

He looked at Stafire who was sipping tapioca through a thick straw. He smiled. He wondered if she'd ever kissed anyone before. So far, she'd made no mention of past boyfriends, but then again, she'd been very secretive about the intimate details of her life before the titans. Did Tamaranians even kiss the way humans do? Did they—well—_do things_ the way humans _did_ things? Starfire's development certainly… well, _that_ had been different. She did look rather funny, though he never dared to joke about it. The slightest hint in the past of a discussion drifting towards her transformation sent her eyes glowing with a dangerous green aura. He supposed she didn't like discussing those funky little horns…

"Robin, is there something you wish to discuss with me?"

It snapped him out of his thoughts. "Actually, yes. How did you know?"

"I hardly think the Boy of Wonder would sit and dally in the park with me if he didn't have something important to discuss, especially if he has a lot of tapes and reports to go through."

He smiled. "I'm beginning to think that I _am_ predictable. Not _dependable, _but predictable."

"You forget, Dick Grayson, that you have surprised me today with a motored-cycle ride. I know that—well, you do not like your new motored-cycle and I do not know for sure why you chose to use it today, but I am thankful that you did."

Robin chuckled. "You should know by now that you're the only one who could get me to ride that thing."

She blushed. So did he, but he realized that the motorcycle was a good enough place to start for what he wanted to talk about with her.

"Kori, do you know who gave me that motorcycle?"

She hesitated a moment before speaking. "I have a strong guess, of course. I have said nothing, simply because I did not want to—" She leaned over confidentially. "—give away Batman's identity, in case someone was listening in. I suspect the others say nothing for the same reason."

He laughed. He supposed it was easy enough for the titans to put two and two together. Robin's life as Batman's sidekick was certainly no secret, but unlike the rest of the world, the titans knew that Robin was Dick Grayson. From all of that, it was only logical to suspect that Batman and Bruce Wayne was the same person. Robin hasn't exactly confirmed it to the Titans, but then they never asked. "Well, yeah, he's who you think he is and yes, he did give me that motorcycle."

Starfire looked awe-stricken. "That was very generous of him. Cyborg said that your particular model costs a small fortune."

Robin scoffed. "Bruce Wayne's got millions of small fortunes, so it didn't exactly break his back to give me the bike."

"Oh."

He could tell she was trying to analyze the tone and emotions behind his words. He wasn't planning on making her guess more than was necessary. "I called him this morning and asked him for help… to find a solution to your condition. He has the money and the resources, and if there's anyone who could do it, it's him. He agreed to do everything in his power to help you. All you have to do is give your consent."

Her jaw dropped, and for a moment, she said nothing, but then she seemed to have collected herself, and she spoke. "Truly, Richard? Bruce Wayne would… he would do that for me?"

Robin rolled his eyes, grinning. "Please… Bruce isn't _that_ unreachable. He's just a regular guy, really, and he could be a real prick sometimes. But I suppose he comes through for things like this, and that's pretty much all that matters, right?"

A plaintive smile spread on her lips. Setting aside her bubble tea, she gingerly reached for his hands. "Richard, I've been meaning to ask…"

He cocked a smile. He knew what was coming. "Ask it."

"Why did you and he separate? I have heard that you made quite a dynamic team; Gotham's most celebrated heroes… did you have a fight?"

He smiled wanly. He twined his fingers idly through hers, mildly fascinated by how perfectly her hands could fit into his. "We fought all the time, but that wasn't exactly why I left. I think maybe it was a little bit about pride, maybe a little bit about trust, or the lack of it. Let's just say I realized that he'd be fine without a sidekick and I didn't want to be a sidekick all my life. I wanted to show him that I could do it on my own. I've done that well enough, I think."

"But you and he continue to be friends?"

"In our own way. I don't bother him, he doesn't bother me. Every once in a while, we check in on each other, but I couldn't remember a conversation with him where we didn't disagree on something." He sighed wearily. "There's _always_ something."

She nodded. "And now that you have finally proven to him that you are your own man, you had to ask his help… for me."

"It's no big deal."

"It is. Thank you."

"I'd do it again, you know. If there's any chance to get your sight back…"

"I know."

"So you'll agree to this? We might have to fly to Gotham, and his scientists might have to run some tests… and then of course, they may not find an answer at all…"

Starfire smiled. "Then such is life, I suppose, but I welcome this chance to try. I do agree to this."

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Good. I'll let Bruce know."

They finished their bubble tea and they made to leave. As Robin helped Starfire on to the motorcycle, she brought up one last thing.

"Robin, have you given some thought to what we talked about last night? You know… the training?"

He grinned. "Well, you know, it's going to be _pretty _tough—"

She was quick to respond, picking up on the hint that he _just might. _"I shall be equal to it! I will work hard, I promise!"

"And you'll need a lot of patience."

"I will be the model of patience! I will be so patient you will have to canonize me and call me Saint Koriand'r!"

_"And_ you know I can't go easy on you. If I do that, that'll make me a bad teacher."

"As Cyborg says: Bring it! I will let you knock me senseless if necessary. Oh please… please Robin?"

He chuckled. "I don't think knocking you senseless would be necessary. I'll teach you, Star."

She squealed delightedly, clapping her hands.

He grinned. "Don't celebrate just yet. Believe me, three days into training and you'll be cursing me, my father and my father's father."

She scoffed.

_Scoffed! _Robin couldn't help but laugh.

"Dick Grayson, you couldn't _possibly _be worse than the Warlords of Okaara."

He grinned, securing his helmet and preparing the motorcycle for go. He revved the engine again, just to get that alluring giggle from her. She responded just the way he liked it.

Thusly rewarded, he cocked a smile. "Wanna bet?"

The motorcycle shot forward and her laughter was drowned out by the roar of the engine.

* * *

Robin glanced at his watch and saw that four hours had gone by unnoticed. He took a moment to think about Starfire and figured that she might still be hard at work on her tutorials.

When they arrived at the tower from their afternoon in the city, Starfire declared that she was on a mission to learn, so that no one, not even him, was allowed to deter her from her goals. He surmised that the edict would hold, at least until she got hungry.

Equally driven, he shut himself in his room to go over the reports and hopefully finish them early enough so he could start watching the tapes.

He tossed the final report on the finished pile and let out a breath, electing to take a short break. His pads of available post-it notes had been reduced to thin slivers, the bulk of it distributed throughout pages of the prison reports. The highlighters didn't make it either. The last yellow marker in his hand was on its final vestiges of ink before he capped it for the last time that night.

From what he read on the reports concerning Plasmus' current acidic state, the scientists who were assigned to monitor him were about as baffled as Robin was. A few months ago, they gathered tissue from Otto Von Furth and discovered that his sludge-state suddenly created an allergic reaction to living matter.

But clearly, its properties continued to develop. While before, his toxins could induce nothing but severe itchiness, his composition had progressively changed since then, attaining highly dangerous levels of acidity. When they first detected the rising pH levels in his body, they hastened to eliminate all possible elements that could contribute to it. The most reactive substance they found were the small concentrations of plutonium that were required to power the containment system. They replaced the power-source almost immediately and Otto hadn't been exposed to any radioactive substances since then. Why Otto's condition progressed in spite of that was something the scientists could not explain.

Leaning back on his chair, he picked up a vial from a set of ten tucked snugly into a foam casing. He lifted it to the light and saw a sample of Plasmus' sludge oozing inside it. He would have to experiment with the samples to make his own conclusions and he hoped he would have better results than the other scientists.

_Never mind that they have a pile of PhDs to back them up, not to mention years of experience in the field… _He laughed at himself. _We'll see._

He went back to the pile and pulled out the scientist files. There were four in all, three of them containing the faces of dead men. He opened the folders of the three who had died and they stared back at him gravely. Unlike the scientists from the Toy Research Center, these guys weren't smiling. He supposed there was nothing much to smile about working in a high security prison.

There was a soft beep and it came from his T-Comm. He picked it up and flipped it open. Raven's face materialized on the small screen and her even, monotonous voice followed. "Oh good, you're alive."

He blinked back the exhaustion that suddenly came over him and let out a breath. "What's up?"

"The natives are restless. They want pizza."

"Cool. Call me when it's there."

"See, that's the problem. It's your turn to fetch take-out."

"Oh." It sucked to live in an isolated island at times like these: nobody delivered.

The corner of Raven's lip lifted ever so slightly. "But you don't have to do it alone. We decided to eat out. You're the designated driver of course, which means you're going to have to brace yourself for Cyborg's backseat bitching."

He sighed. "You know it. Meet you all at the garage in five. I'll go get Star."

They signed off and he surveyed his work desk. There was still a lot of work, but since he went Red X on them during his Slade obsessions, he had learned the value of taking time to decompress.

Starfire would appreciate the break as well.

He stepped out of his room and stood in front of Starfire's door. He knocked.

There was a muffled reply. He pressed a button on the side of the door and it slid open. The room was dark; and darker still when the door slid close behind him. Only a pale glow of moonlight and stars shone through her windows.

"Robin?"

Mystified by the lack of lighting, her words jarred him from his thoughts. "Yeah, it's me."

She chuckled. "I recognized you by the sound of your step. Your boots make a distinct sound."

"Oh." He wondered whether he should ask about the darkness and realized that he knew the answer already. "Star, it's a little—it's a little dark."

There was a moment's silence before she giggled. "I am sorry. I did not notice nightfall."

He could see her shadow rising from her seat and cautiously, she walked past him, her hand grasping his arm briefly. The lights came and he was startled again that she wasn't in uniform. It was still very strange to him.

"Better?"

"Much." He glanced at her desk which was littered with Braille tablets and a disk man. Earphones were half dangling from the edge of the table. "The guys want to go out for pizza and we both need a break. You up for it?"

She smiled. "Yes, give me a moment." Gingerly, she went back to her desk and groped for her walking cane. It was still extended. "I have not found the courage to retract this thing and hope for the best the next time I need to extend it. I feel it is still too dangerous since Cyborg had not configured it yet."

Robin chuckled. "Yes, better to be on the safe side."

"I would also have to talk to Cyborg about the color of this cane… I think it must be white to meet certain standards." Her hand rested gently on his arm so that he could start guiding her.

He led them out of her room. "That would disappoint Mr. Cool Guy. He doesn't consider white flashy enough."

"I am almost sure I could keep the Pikachu, though." She grasped the cane by its handle but did not use it. Instead, she held it to herself. Robin would be her guide for the meantime. "Have you uncovered anything from the prison reports, Robin?"

He shook his head. "Not much, but I've only been working on it for a few hours. I didn't expect to crack any cases, even if it does seem kind of open and shut. I mean, it could've been an accident, right?" They arrived at the elevator lobby and one press on the "down" button had the doors opening. Robin punched the button for the garage and the doors closed. "The surviving scientist said that he just heard something cracking and that was it; there was glass everywhere, but it's difficult to accept that as it is. Glass used for containing such things as Plasmus _couldn't_ be that faulty. Anyway, I still have to look at the video surveillance. I'll probably have to reserve that for tomorrow. I have to review the bio-data on the scientists, probably after dinner… this must be extremely interesting to you."

She laughed. "Do not mistake my glazed look for boredom."

Robin groaned. "Star, your jokes…"

Stafire giggled. "Come now, Robin. I have lost my eyesight, not my sense of humor."

He laughed, but it felt a bit painful. "Fine. So, how's the intro to Braille coming along?"

"Extremely well! The package goes over a lot of data for visual impairment, and it talks extensively about Braille F.A.Q. I was in the middle of _non-contracted Braille_ orientation when you arrived."

The elevator doors opened and the rest of the titans were already there. They piled into the car with Robin taking the driver's seat. He stifled a groan when Cyborg took the seat beside him.

Beast Boy, sitting at the middle in the passenger carriage, snickered as Robin turned the ignition.

Cyborg leaned over to his side. "Everything check out okay? Gas, oil, temperature…? Not that anything should be wrong with this car. I pretty much make sure it's perfect, but you always have to check, nonetheless. I looked at the tires before we got in and they're fine. Be gentle on the gas and go easy on the stick. Damn 'Fast and the Furious' movie have people popping the shift-stick like it was their enemy or something. _Don't_ forget the hand-break!"

Robin sighed. This was going to be the longest ten minute drive ever.

* * *

With his elbow leaning on the window ledge and his temple resting against his hand, Robin drove miserably as Cyborg went through a litany of driving instructions. No one from the back had said anything since they left the garage; even Beast Boy's snickering had died down. One could only laugh at the situation for so long; Cyborg was now, officially, annoying.

Someone cut them in front. It was a red Mitsubishi Eclipse and it had cut so fast that it looked like its bumper had missed theirs by inches.

Cyborg's robot eye flashed. "What the--! Robin, drive on up to that car."

Sighing, Robin maneuvered from behind the Eclipse towards the left. He shifted to a higher gear, stepped on the gas and did as he was told. The Eclipse's driver was a young girl, roughly a bit older than they were; lovely and looking rather sexy behind the wheel of a sports car. She had long black hair and the cutest almond shaped eyes this side of Jump City. Robin caught her gaze briefly and she smiled, wiggling her fingers at him with a flirtatious, giggle-accompanied smile.

He wondered, for a split heartbeat, if she was waving at him, or at Cyborg.

Cyborg rolled down his window. So did she. He said something that caused her smile to fade. A deep scowl settled on her expression before she flipped her middle finger at Cyborg, said some choice words and drove off in a huff.

Cyborg settled back on his seat, furious. He rolled his window back up. "Did you see what she did? What a _bitch!"_

Raven, who was seated behind Cyborg, grunted. "Somehow, I don't think you endeared yourself to her when you began the conversation by saying she wasn't Robin's type. I think she stopped listening to your driving lessons right about that time."

"Well, she _wasn't_ Robin's type."

Robin frowned. Cyborg could be so annoyingly neurotic. "What the hell do you know about my type?"

Cyborg scoffed, waving off his question. "Please. I probably know your type more than you do."

Robin rolled his eyes. "Sure, _whatever!"_

"Robin, you sound annoyed," said Starfire in a strangely over-sweet tone. From the rear view mirror, he saw her eyebrow lifting into a stern arch, and it sent a slight chill down his spine. _"Was_ this _girl_ your _type?"_

For some reason, Robin felt that he knew exactly what to say. _"No. _Naa-uh. Not even a just a little..."

"She _was_ pretty hot, though bro, I gotta admit it," said Cyborg off-handedly. "Prettier than those chicks we met in the city two weeks ago."

Robin dealt him a glare so potent that he was surprised it didn't kill Cyborg on the spot.

A heavy silence fell and would have lasted for quite some time if Starfire didn't suddenly say, "CDRWs indeed."

Robin wanted to die on the spot when he heard it.

Beast Boy snuck his head out from the back, a grim look on his face. "Cyborg, m' man, that was _un_helpful."

Cyborg scowled. "What did I say?"

Robin wanted to reach out and pull at Cyborg's circuits. He was about to say something when from the corner of his eye, he saw Raven shaking her head gravely.

Robin deciding it was better if he just shut up. When they arrived at the pizza place, he parked the car and hastened to get the door for Starfire. As he reached for the door handle, he saw that she was no longer inside the car. She had scooted over to the other door and was now leaning on Beast Boy who gave him a helpless look and an apologetic shrug.

Robin blinked, absorbing the scenario before he sighed again and flipped the power-locks of the car. Beast Boy and Starfire led the group and Robin walked alongside Raven and Cyborg at the flank.

"Interesting info you shared there, Cyborg," Raven said in a low voice. "Did you and Robin carry score cards while you were cruising for chicks or did you just yell out the scores like a couple of jerks?"

Robin grit his teeth. "It _wasn't_ like that."

Cyborg rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "He's right Raven. Beast Boy was there, too."

"Oh, pardon me my assumption."

"We were just on a routine patrol, you know…"

"You mean you were bored," said Raven dryly.

Cyborg feigned shock. "Raven, don't be hatin'. Your cynicism causes me pain."

"I'm sure you'll find it in your heart to forgive me. You were bored…"

"As I was saying, we were on _patrol_ and before we knew it, Beast Boy was talking to some chicks from the convertible beside us. It was the oddest thing."

Raven's eyebrow arched, her icy gaze falling on Robin. "And I suppose you two sat around and did nothing, too busy performing your patrol duties, and such?"

Cyborg looked absolutely unbothered. "Hey, we didn't want to be impolite and ignore them, especially since Beast Boy initiated conversation."

Robin growled, frustrated. "Look, I just needed to get a new stack of CDRWs but these _playboys_ turned it into a joyride—"

Raven turned to stand in Robin's path, letting Beast Boy and Starfire walk way ahead. She looked over her shoulder, perhaps to make sure they were beyond earshot, and spoke. "And you, Boy Wonder. What's your excuse? One of them a tall, long legged red-head?"

Robin frowned. "What's that sup—"

"You know what I mean, bird boy."

Cyborg's robot eye flashed a second time that night. "Raven, I thought we agreed—"

"Shut-up, Cy. I know what I'm doing."

"Shutting up."

"Dick, I don't care how long it takes for you to accept _certain things_ about your relationships with _certain people_ but if you screw this up, you're going to answer to _me._ I gave up—" The T-Car behind them groaned ever so slightly, a dark aura enveloping it for a heartbeat. She paused, letting out a shallow breath. "You aren't the only one willing to make sacrifices here. Remember that."

She left, hurrying to join Starfire and Beast Boy on one of the outdoor tables. Robin stood staring at her, mostly confused about what she had said. He looked at Cyborg questioningly, but got no reply.

They took their seats at the table and after a moment's thought, Robin scooted over to Starfire's side. He had read from one of the info sheets that sometimes, describing the surroundings of a place to your visually impaired companion made them feel comfortable.

"It's a nice night out," he said. "The moon's a crescent and there aren't many clouds, so the sky's pretty clear. Lots of people walking around, too. I guess that's the way it is with the weekend coming up."

Starfire said nothing; she didn't even acknowledge if she heard him.

He gave Cyborg a _look, _as if to ask: _See what you've done?_

Cyborg shrugged as the waiter came by to give them menus.

Beast Boy didn't even look at the options. "My vote's on a veggie-pizza, no cheese!"

Raven arched her eyebrow. "Get a single, Beast Boy. The rest of us will eat real pizza, if you don't mind."

Beast Boy whimpered but said nothing to contradict her.

"A pepperoni and sausage sounds great about now," said Robin. "How about you, Star?"

She turned to Raven, as if Robin hadn't spoken to her. "Raven, anything you like in particular?"

Robin shot Cyborg another glare.

Perhaps sensing that there was more to the issue than pizza toppings, Raven merely said, "I'll have what you'll be having, Starfire."

"Are you certain? Well then, I'd like the pizza to have mushroom. _No _sausage or pepperoni."

Robin felt a headache coming on and he massaged his temples with the circular motion of his fingers. He still managed to deal Cyborg a narrow-eyed glance while he was at it.

"Raven, would you like to go to the bathroom?" asked Starfire.

Raven only took a second to stare at her before she agreed. Together, they went back into the restaurant to do the girls' bathroom herding-ritual.

"Cyborg, this is _so_ your fault." Robin shook his head, tossing the menu on the table miserably.

Cyborg scowled. "Hey, I'm not the one who ran off at the mouth about pepperoni and sausage! Now we're stuck with _mushroom. _This is brutal!

Robin gaped at him. "I'm not talking about the pizza!"

Beast Boy made a motion to ignore Cyborg. "Robin, dude, Starfire's given me this cold-shoulder treatment before so I know what to do. First, you get down on your knees and beg her to forgive you then you get down on your knees and beg her to forgive you. If you could turn into a cat, that would be plus points."

"Will she forgive me then?"

Beast Boy scratched behind his ears. "She forgave _me, _but I don't know if it's that easy with you. Man… you told her you were going to get CDRWs? Why'd you have to lie?"

"I wasn't lying! I _was_ going to get them, but you fools just _had_ to—"

"But then you didn't tell her that you weren't able to buy the stuff, and you had to bum off _my_ supply because you didn't want her asking questions about that night. That in itself meant you felt _guilty_ about something!"

Robin rolled his eyes. "Look, you were there. Nothing happened. They gave us their phone numbers, sure, but I never called. I can't even remember where I put the numbers at!"

"I know that. Cyborg knows that, but the girls don't know that. The girls think you're a lying Casanova."

Robin felt like pulling at his own hair. "Hello! You're talking about _me, _here. I was too busy trying to relocate Slade at the time. You know how I get when I'm like that: I couldn't pick up a chick in a coop!" Beast Boy placed a supportive hand on Robin's shoulder and Robin promptly shoved it off. "Why are we even having this conversation? What's Starfire so pissed off about anyway?"

Cyborg and Beast Boy each arched an eyebrow.

Robin stared back. "What?"

Beast Boy shook his head. "Dude, if you don't know, then you're just plain _stupid."_

Robin frowned. He had never been called stupid in his entire life. Even Batman, disparaging as he could be of Robin's methods in their years of crime-fighting, hadn't use that word to describe him. He was about to say something just as biting when the waiter came over to take their order.

Beast Boy got his veggie-pizza with no cheese and Cyborg managed to find a nice combination of mushroom, meatballs and onions. He figured there was no point in aggravating Starfire anymore than she already was.

When Starfire and Raven returned, regular conversation resumed, but Starfire hadn't thawed in the least, and Robin could do nothing but mope. When they came down to the last slice of pizza, Cyborg spun it and it pointed at Robin.

He looked at Starfire whose blank stare was colder than ever. He sighed. "Starfire could have my slice."

There was an expectant hush and for a moment, Robin thought he was going to be ignored again, but then she turned to him and he looked up with renewed hope.

"Thank you, but I am quite full. Cyborg, take the slice. It would be a shame to waste it."

"Booyah!" Cyborg gleefully rolled the slice into a tube and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Yeah, booyah," Robin muttered as he pulled out the change to pay for their dinner.

Beast Boy leaned over, grumbling from the corner of his mouth. "You didn't think it would be that easy, did you? It took a near death experience for Star to go easy on me. A lame-ass pizza slice isn't worth sh—"

"Alright! I get it!"

They headed back to the car in silence.

Perhaps taking pity on him, Raven did not help Starfire get into the car. Neither did Beast Boy. Robin saw his chance and hastened to help Starfire in, but she managed to slide right into her seat without need of assistance and she pulled the door shut with a resounding bang. She almost caught his fingers. He winced, so did Cyborg. Cyborg never liked the sound of banging car doors.

Dejectedly, Robin dragged himself back to the driver's seat and brought them home in silence.

* * *

"Starfire? Could we just—"

The door slid shut in his face, nearly clipping his nose. The familiar sound of an electronic lock beeped from within and Robin sighed.

He saw Raven looking at him from the threshold of her door. He was about to say something when he thought better of it and turned, muttering a good night.

"Robin."

He looked over his shoulder.

"She's just pissed you lied and… well, if I have to explain what else, then you'd have to be stupid."

Second time tonight "stupid" came up.

"I'm sure she'll be much nicer to you tomorrow."

"Yeah, whatever Raven."

He retired to his room.

He was too distracted to bother with the surveillance tapes; he knew this after he was halfway through the first recording. Preoccupied and confused, he realized that he wasn't going to be very productive that evening.

He decided to go to bed, and hoped he could get an early start the next day.

_To be continued..._

* * *

Closing notes: It's hard to say whether Robin was much of a ladies' man. On the one hand, he had to be a babe magnet, as Dick Grayson (ward of an heirless billionaire? Of course he was popular!) _and_ as Robin (I would _so_ go for the cute superhero who looks good in tights, myself), yet on another hand, he's so obsessive and focused; basically a good-looking, unassuming NERD. Guy's gotta have _experience,_ you know, but maybe not too much, after all, he's confused about Starfire, ain't he?

It's just one chapter now, but the next one is already half-way done.

* * *


	7. The Sun Always Rises

Standard disclaimers apply.

"Guiding Star" is RED52 approved. ::wink:: Thanks Red!

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.**

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Seven – The Sun Always Rises**

It was five o' clock in the morning when Robin woke up. Remembering the events from the previous day, he was a little hard put to rise and face the new one, but he was never a coward, so he got out of bed, got dressed and sat his ass down in front of his work desk.

Maybe he wasn't a coward, but he didn't think he could stand a dose of Starfire's cold-shoulder so early in the morning. He had feelings too.

Organizing his thoughts, he realized he had completely forgotten to call up Bruce Wayne to tell him about Starfire's consent. He took a moment to be amazed at how this was the second time in one week he would be calling Bruce. It was, so far, the most consistent communication they've had in years.

Entering the codes, he extracted the communicator from its computer activated compartment and called up Batman.

He was startled when a woman's voice came through the speaker. For a second, he stammered, but he was able to croak out a lame hello. He wasn't sure if he should ask for Batman or Bruce Wayne. What if asking for either revealed Batman's identity to this person? Who _was_ this woman, anyway?

The woman hardly acknowledged his greeting. "Hang on a second, will you?"

Robin waited with furrowed brows. A few seconds later, he heard the woman in the background calling Bruce, telling him that Dick was on the line. This surprised him even more.

Bruce's voice was soon speaking through the communicator. "Early, aren't you?"

"Who was that?" was his immediate question.

"Diana. What's this about? I'm busy right now, so hurry it up."

Diana? Who the hell was Diana? But prompted by Bruce's rushed tone, Robin had little choice but to comply. "I talked to Kori. She's willing to go through with it."

"Excellent. Stay alert. I'll send word to you sometime soon with my instructions. I have to go. And for God's sake, next time, call a little later in the morning."

The line went dead.

Robin cursed. So much for consistency. _The old bat didn't even have the decency to ask how I was doing. _Now he really felt he was being rejected by his people.

In his irritation, he tossed the communicator in the trash bin. Two minutes later, he fished it out, swearing about his lineage, real and foster, as he put it back in its compartment.

Determined to get something worthwhile done that day, he readied the surveillance tapes and began watching them. There was no point in moping and doing nothing. He had already done enough of that the night before. This time, he would mope and do something.

Robin was only partially surprised when Cyborg contacted him on the T-Comm just a bit after lunch to see if he was alive. Still sore from Starfire's rejection and Bruce's shabby treatment of him, he wasn't very friendly to Cyborg.

Wishing vehemently that they'd leave him alone, he turned his attention back to the wide screen. After a while, he made a quick trip to the kitchen, grabbed a couple of nutri-bars with accompanying potato chips and hastened to go back to his room. He saw only Beast Boy who gave him a disapproving glare over his shoulder. Robin ignored him.

By the time he came down to the last recording, it was nearing half past five. He had skipped breakfast and lunch, and he was feeling a bit dizzy in spite of the nutri-bars and chips, but he didn't care. Anything was a welcome distraction to his personal relationships right now.

The first few tapes showed him very little; mostly scientists working to ensure that everything about the entire system functioned seamlessly through out the day. The four scientists in charge of the containment facility often chatted and exchanged jokes only _they_ found funny. Towards the latter part of the day, they received several visitors; some prison personnel, others clearly outsiders. On several occasions, the scientists would step out, one at a time, to leave the facility with someone, but they always came back a short time later. One of them stepped out more often than the others, but this was because he smoked and there was no smoking inside the facility. That same scientist always pulled out a pack of gum, after which he would stick the chewed gum underneath his keyboard panel that doubled as a desk. Robin found himself getting neurotic about it, disgusted at the mere thought of the gum build-up.

All four scientists in the facility were male, and Robin noticed that women visitors were given special attention. And when the woman left, her body parts and what they could do with it would then be talked about in vulgar detail.

_Nothing unusual there,_ he thought sardonically.

Robin was just getting to the part about Plasmus' rude awakening when there was a knock at his door. He froze the footage and called for his guest to come in. It was Raven.

She looked at the screen and then at him. "A likely excuse."

Robin wasn't too happy about that. "Hey, if she doesn't want to talk to me, then I have other things to do." He simmered a moment before he looked up. "Er… why, did she—um, ask about me?"

Raven stared at him, as if to consider her words. "She's at the rooftop. She feels bad that she was mean to you last night."

Robin's edge promptly dulled. "Really?"

Raven hesitated. "No, not really. She didn't actually say so… she didn't want to talk about it either, but hey…"

He sighed. "Great. Thanks for nothing, Raven."

"Oh, just go talk to her. Don't be such a wimp." She left after that.

Robin supposed Raven was never one for much ceremony. Ultimately, he followed her advice. It wasn't as if he could stand not being friends with Starfire.

He took the elevator to the top floor and climbed the stairs to the rooftop. Emerging from the indoor staircase, he shielded his eyes from the warm rays of the setting sun.

At first he could make nothing out except for the various fixtures and the T-Chopper, but towards the western horizon, he saw Starfire seated on the concrete floor, knees drawn to her chest. Laid out on the floor beside her was her walking cane, Pikachu bobbing against the slight wind. She was facing the open bay and he wondered how long she had been sitting there.

He approached her cautiously, his boot sound against the gravel of the ground. Starfire's back stiffened. "Er—Starfire?"

"Raven said she'd be back. We were going to fly together."

Robin felt his heart sink. "Fine," he muttered. "I'll go get her."

"Richard, do you wish to talk to me or not?"

He frowned. "You're the one who—"

"I am the one who what?" She had stood and turned slightly, and while she wasn't completely facing him, he could see that she had her arms crossed over her chest.

He ran his hands through his hair irritably. He certainly wasn't in control of the situation. He wasn't used to that, but it seemed he tended to be ass-whipped when it came to Starfire. Cyborg was right, he _was_ Star-Struck. He massaged the back of his neck with a hand. "I didn't mean to lie about buying the CDRWs. I _did_ go to the city for that, but then Beast Boy and Cyborg—I didn't think it was a _big_ lie."

She sighed, her shoulders drooping. She sat back down again, pulling her knees up and resting her chin on them. "Robin, I just kept thinking how, that time, you said I didn't have to accompany you into the city. I didn't tell you then, but I was hurt when I found out that Cyborg and Beast Boy had gone with you, and then I realized last night in the car that you didn't want me going with you because you were actually going to _'cruise for chickens.'"_

"I wasn't cruising for—look, the only reason Cyborg and Beast Boy went with me was because they thought maybe they would find something they'd like to buy. You know…"

She frowned. "It is very difficult for me to accept such things as _male_ bonding and _female_ bonding. In Tamaran, there are no gender specifics for friendships, but I am willing to make adjustments for the customs of Earth. While I like Raven's company, I cannot—" she paused, as if to grope for words "—_always_ bond with her. We… _cannot_ 'bond' the way you and the boys bond, so what am I expected to do? You are my best friend, and I had hoped you could get over the barriers of gender to bond with me the way you bond with the boys. And then I—I find out that you were willing to bond with those glemp—_strange _girls. It made me feel… weird, and I _didn't _like it

Her words struck him, and he felt a flush rise in his cheeks. It was odd, but something did flips in his stomach. _Did she—did she almost call the girls "glemporks"?_

The last time she had used _"glemporks" _in relation to girls was when he had to take Kitty to her prom, and that was quite a while ago. Most of her anger had been directed at Kitty and Fang, anyway, so he hadn't felt the need to make a big deal about it. Besides, it was a crime-case, and they had always been fiercely protective about one another when it came to these super-villains; whether it had to do with spoiled prom queens, badly dressed madmen or implanted nano-probes.

But this was different. This didn't have anything to do with crime-fighting whatsoever, and the possibility of it made him feel… giddy; pleased. He stared at her, trying to make sense of it. Was it possible to be the best of friends and feel jealousy?

Her brows furrowed. "Why did you welcome their company and reject mine? Why was it alright to be in the city with _them_ and not me? Why did you have to lie about them?"

He was confused, and he wasn't sure what to make of it all yet, but he wanted to make-up with her at least, if he couldn't make complete sense of the entire thing. He didn't like Starfire giving him the cold shoulder.

_I get too distracted. Not good when I'm trying to concentrate on a case. _

Robin sat beside her, cautiously reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. He was encouraged when she didn't shy away. "I didn't reject your company. I simply—I was really just going to go out for a while, buy some stuff and go back home. I told you that you didn't have to accompany me because—well, you really _didn't have to._ I thought maybe you were just being polite, and I knew you had better things to do, so I told you I'd be fine on my own. I didn't even ask Cyborg and Beast Boy to come with me; they just _went,_ and before I knew it there were these _girls._ Believe me, Kori, I hardly paid any attention to them. I was too distracted; I was focused on Slade. And there was even a brief moment when I wished you were there, because if you were, Beast Boy and Cyborg wouldn't have thought about talking with those girls, and I'd be back in the tower doing my work…" He sighed. "I lied to you about being able to buy those CDRWs because—because I didn't want you to think that I made up that excuse to go to the city to meet some girls. I didn't want you to think that I made you stay home so Cy, BB and I could have a boy's night out. And that's the whole truth."

_Or was it?_

He frowned in disapproval of his own thoughts. Of course it was the whole truth. He didn't have to go into the phone numbers thing. He never asked for those numbers and he didn't even bother to keep them. It was totally a non-issue.

After having convinced himself about its non-issue-ness, he told her about it anyway. She didn't seem very pleased, but at least she didn't look angry.

_Ass-whipped,_ said that taunting voice in his head that sounded strangely like Bruce Wayne.

When they finally fell silent, Robin was glad to realize that the quiet was comfortable. He shifted, drawing his knees up and leaning his elbows on them. They sat that way for a while, side by side on the T-Tower rooftop. He was feeling better about the entire thing, but the back-issues of what brought all this misunderstanding on continued to rap at his consciousness.

Every once in a while, he would throw furtive glances in her direction, but her blank expression remained in spite of the easy companionship they were falling back into.

He was surprised when her hand fell gently upon his arm.

"I do not wish to keep you from having nights out with _the boys,"_ she said in a soft, appeasing tone. "I do not mind being excluded from such outings, especially if—especially if you wish to meet other girls, but you do not have to lie—for anything. Sometimes you will have to say to me, 'It is just us boys this time, Starfire,' because as you know, I am not yet quite attuned to the subtleties of your interactions. I will respect this ritual of _genders_ and you do not have to be afraid that I will be angry about it. But does this mean I am only your… _female _best friend?"

It was a surprising question. "No, Star. It's not like that. When I say you're my best friend, you're my best friend, regardless of gender."

She smiled wanly.

He paused, processing the rest of the things she said. "When you say I could go on a boys' night out 'especially if I wish to meet other girls'…" His thoughts petered and he had to start anew with a shake of his head. "You mean you're okay with that?"

Starfire seemed to take a moment to consider this. "Well, Robin, I—" She reddened visibly. "Do I have reason to be concerned?"

An awkward silence, similar to the one that befell them when they were discussing Tamaranian marrying-age, ensued.

There was an emotion inside him itching to break the surface, but he couldn't exactly tell what it was at the moment. He was a bit flustered.

After a moment's consideration, he was astonished to realize that he was actually feeling—well, he was feeling rather pissed. Why was she okay with that? Didn't it bother her that there were lots of pretty girls in the city? What was wrong with her? What's up with that? Didn't she care at all?

He frowned. "Apparently not."

If she noted the displeasure in his tone, she showed no hint of it. She did, however, change the subject. "Raven agreed to show me meditation techniques that would help me enhance the use of my other senses. It will be useful, yes? Especially when you get around to teaching me how to fight."

He sighed, letting his irritation ebb and punctuating it with a smile. "Yeah, I'd encourage something like that. We'll work on your training in another week or so. I just want you to get stronger. You just got out of the hospital."

She nodded, falling back into silence. A minute or two later, she spoke. "Robin, is the sun setting yet?"

The sun had taken on a deep orange hue against the pink, purple and red sky and it was low on the horizon. "Yeah, it's setting."

"Would you—would you describe it to me?"

Robin stared at her. The realization that she might never be able to see the sun setting again saddened him. He wasn't a poet; in fact, he didn't have the slightest inclination of having a way with words. His nature was straightforward and scientific. When he was asked a yes or no question, he answered with "yeah" and "naa." He felt, by Starfire's request, largely inadequate.

"It's orange." He winced at his own words.

She giggled softly, perhaps realizing that he wasn't very good at this. But instead of letting it be, she prodded on. "What kind of orange is it?"

Robin chuckled. His response was quick due to too many "I Spy with My Little Eye" sessions on the road with the traveling Haly Circus. "Like your hair."

She grinned, obviously approving of this. "And what does my hair remind you of? Other than me, of course!"

That cut him short. He had to be creative now. "The Autumn leaves. I saw a lot of those in Gotham."

"Mmm, Autumn leaves… and the sky?"

"Oh, pink… red; and purple."

"Like mixed cotton candy?"

"Something like that; and it reflects off the surface of the bay, so it's like the whole world's kinda pink and red and purple."

Her grin mellowed to a plaintive smile. "It is beautiful, yes?"

He leaned back on the heels of his palms, his gaze shifting to her face. "It's pretty damn breathtaking…"

She sighed. "I do so love Earth sunsets."

She sat there, with her unseeing eyes aspiring for the view she longed for.

Beside her, his gaze resting on her profile, his seeing eyes only now began opening to a different horizon.

His small smile came unbidden, his thoughts swimming languidly before settling on a single thought: _You like this view. _And perhaps that meant he agreed, didn't he? So he said, "Yeah, me too," as the day came to a glorious close.

* * *

Robin was surprised that the weekend went by so fast without the benefit of crime-fighting. While he remained somewhat pre-occupied by the prison reports and tapes, he usually made it a point to be less obsessive during the weekend. Besides, there was nothing to signify that there had been anything deliberate about the Plasmus-incident. It seemed it _had _been, as many have already concluded, a tragic accident.

So after having decided that he would set his work aside for the meantime, he tended to his usual weekend activities, which was a short session on the Game Station and the somewhat relaxing chore of watering the surrounding vegetation at the foot of the tower.

He was, however, mildly astonished to discover that these diversions didn't take up more than a few hours of the weekend, cumulatively. He made mental computations, adding his work, recreational and sleep hours, only to discover that he spent no more than eight collective waking hours on work, Game Station and Gardening. The fact of the matter was the rest of his hours awake had been spent with Starfire.

Robin remembered spending some more time with her on the rooftop talking about random things; like the type of music she really liked, or what kind of things she enjoyed doing aside from watching movies with them and going to the mall of shopping. These were things they never talked about, because as crime-fighting teenagers, sitting down and actually talking about such things seemed incredibly inane amidst kicking supper-villain butt, but now it felt completely normal, and strangely relaxing. And then Robin—for some reason—volunteered to help Starfire answer her fan mail, something she did with neurotic regularity, and with uncanny thoroughness. To go easy on him, Starfire said that they would only be answering her more regular fans; meaning those who wrote her constantly, either by email or snail-mail; which had to be about one hundred and fifty fans, give or take. Starfire remembered the trials, tribulations and well-wishes of every one of them and she dictated her replies to Robin with near-supernatural ease. Robin was basically too amazed to feel the fatigue of being her secretary for hours on end. They didn't finish it all in one sitting, but Robin suspected it was because he typed too slowly.

Time spent in the Info and Rec Room was time spent with the rest of the titans. Even Raven did some of her reading there, but only until she could stand the noise. When she eventually got fed up, she closed her book and meditated, mostly to block all of them out. The rest of them brought out the cards and played for cookies and chocolates. So that Starfire could participate, Robin sat behind her to help her play her hand. Since the stakes were high, they would play for hours. If Starfire hadn't reminded them that it might be time for "Punk'd", they'd have never given up their Famous Amoses' and Recess Pieces.

While Starfire couldn't see what was going on in the show, most of the important parts were wrought with dialogue and commentary. The visual pranks were related to her by Beast Boy, who took on his role with surprising competence.

The weekend was thus spent, and Robin went to sleep remembering the lilac and sweet berry scent of Starfire's shampoo whenever he leaned over to look at her cards.

* * *

When the working days hit, Starfire started going to school. They all took turns driving her into the city and picking her up, but Robin was always eager to fill in. The teachers were, of course, amazed at how quickly Starfire was getting on in the lessons. In fact, she was adapting to the system with uncanny brilliance, which left many of her instructors mystified.

Robin could only assume that it was Starfire's alien powers that made her so adept at learning Braille. Starfire, as a Tamaranian, learned a language by touching a fluent speaker of it; it was how she learned English, after all.

Braille wasn't a different language, it was a different system of reading _the same language_, and while her powers couldn't exactly process Braille the way it processed oral speech, there were, perhaps, aspects of it that made learning Braille much easier for her than the average human.

Another week went by, and her Braille skills improved even more dramatically, but it wasn't without effort from Starfire. Between going to school, getting along in her house chores and meditating with Raven, Starfire's focus on her studies would have been every professor's dream. She was so determined to learn quickly that Cyborg got pulled into taking an interest. He acquired and suped-up the latest Braille hardware and software available so that Starfire could surf the internet, answer her mails and convert non-Braille texts to Braille via a special scanner and printer. Starfire eagerly undertook learning how to use her new toys and it occupied her (and Cyborg) for another week.

Beast Boy continued to provide her commentary whenever he invited her to join him in front of the television, which was about as often as Starfire's schedule permitted. Robin realized that Beast Boy really had a talent for what he did, and the TV viewing he spent with Starfire actually made him seem—_responsible. _She liked being asked to watch TV, and Beast Boy took his contribution seriously, though he did it with a smile. Nobody said anything out loud, though. No one wanted to jinx Beast Boy's growing up.

Robin, in the meantime, used those three weeks to carefully formulate a training program for Starfire. Having done research on martial arts training for the visually impaired, he was able to create a program that might actually work.

It was around that time Robin began to wonder why Bruce hadn't called. As was Robin's wont, he got obsessive about it. He wanted to know what was taking so long, but he wasn't too keen about calling Bruce up _again._ His obsessing eventually caught Raven's attention and she confronted him in the kitchen.

"Robin, you are splashing around in my sea of calm," she said in a level tone, her narrowing gaze the only indication that she was annoyed at all. "You're like an excited otter thrashing and wallowing in its own _shit_. Whatever it is, _get over it!"_

She didn't even wait for him to protest. She just turned and left to go back to her room. Overhearing their exchange, Starfire asked him what was wrong.

In the past, he would have said there was nothing wrong, that she didn't have to worry, but they had grown past so many emotional walls in the last month that Robin found himself blurting out the truth before he could stop himself. "Bruce hasn't called."

That was really all he said, but he could depend on Starfire to understand everything without need of so many words.

She didn't fail him. "I am certain that Bruce has not forgotten and that he has a very good reason for not calling. You must be patient, Richard. Bruce Wayne, I'd imagine, is a very busy man. Aside from his fortune, he has the city of Gotham to attend to, yes? Wait a while. He will call soon."

Robin wished he was as good natured when it came to Bruce Wayne. Nevertheless, he took her advice and deferred from lighting any Bat Signals just yet. Suffice it to say, if Robin had a Bat Signal, it would be of a robin asking "Where are ya, ya old flying rodent?"

* * *

Such concerns aside, Robin had to admit that they seemed to have encountered very little problems concerning their adjustment to Starfire's condition. He didn't know if it was because the titans had managed to grow up a bit while he wasn't looking or whether it was because Starfire actually got them through it herself. He was, however, willing to give credit to everyone for the relatively smooth transition.

When Starfire came to him one evening requesting for the reports to the Cinderblock and Plasmus cases, he realized that Starfire was ready for more challenges.

He offered to help her scan the reports through her converters so she could start reading them sooner. She welcomed his help happily.

"Cyborg put together a most efficient system for me," she said, taking the seat by her desk.

Excitedly, she sat in front of her special keyboard, typing in the commands necessary to process the documents Robin had slipped into the cartridge. The small ticker-type sound ensuing from the Braille board that supplemented the monitor was strangely pleasing and he was momentarily fascinated by how she ran her fingers over them.

His attention wandered again and he saw the pile of fan mail in the corner. While her email was still bursting by its electronic seams, the amount of her snail-mail had doubled in the last four weeks. It seemed that people felt email couldn't properly communicate their love and affection for her, so they sent her greeting cards and handwritten letters instead, telling her how much she was an inspiration to them; that she would always be their hero; that she was an even hotter babe than before (from the fanboys, of course.)

To Robin's mind, they were all absolutely right.

"So Starfire… how is your meditation with Raven coming along? I'd ask her but she's been 'specially grumpy these last few weeks."

She smiled at this, chuckling softly. "You must forgive Raven for being that way. She is—going through a very difficult time now. As for my proprioception…"

Robin noted the quick change of subject but decided to respect her wish to keep Raven's secrets—well, secret. He instead focused on her latter statement, the one having to do with "Proprioception". He knew the term. It was a word most commonly used to supplement "Sixth Sense", mainly because it sounded less kooky to those who were inclined to be cynical about the paranormal. But to Robin, proprioception was less about a third eye and more about increasing one's awareness in relation to physical movement. In other words: Sense and act accordingly; quickly.

One's proprioception could be developed to a degree that the reaction time between sensing and acting was near clairvoyant, hence its association with the Sixth Sense.

"…I believe it has been enhanced," continued Starfire. "Raven had to make a special type of meditative program for me, since I wanted to enhance my _physical _senses to become an effective combatant. Her focus has always been towards spiritual enhancement, and she was perhaps as surprised as I that my meditation showed results. I know she is glad about it; just that she hates to show it."

"That's for sure. So, you think you're ready to go into training tomorrow?"

She gasped, a broad smile spreading on her face. "Yes! Most definitely! Ready as anything! Oh, I have been waiting for _weeks _for you to say something! But I didn't want to be what Cyborg calls 'a pest'!"

He cocked a smile. "Six o' clock in the morning tomorrow, I'll meet you in the training room. Is that okay?"

_"Hai, sensei!"_

He laughed. "Where the heck did you pick that up from?"

"Beast Boy and I were watching _Karate Kid _the other night…"

"Right, should've known." He chuckled. "But you don't have to call me that. In fact, just don't call me that."

"As you wish, Richard-_san."_

He rolled his eyes but was amused in spite of himself. He dreaded the things Starfire might pick up when Beast Boy began showing her the _other_ old school cult classics, like _The Breakfast Club _and _Monty Python and the Holy Grail. _Or worse: _Revenge of the Nerds_ and its sequel: _Nerds in Paradise_. But Robin had to admit that he could depend on Beast Boy to differentiate truth from exaggeration (or, when it was a girls' locker room scene, real from surgically enhanced); it was, after all, the best thing about Beast Boy's commentary.

Robin found ease in Starfire's untroubled smile.

He watched her with ever increasing fondness. He admired her for having the courage and grace to cope with an accident so many would find devastating. It was only now, four weeks after the incident that he began to understand why it would be demeaning to her if he felt guilty for what had happened. He had no right to take responsibility for the loss of her eyesight because it had become a mark of her bravery; her strength; as someone who put others before herself at all times, in any given situation. It was an impairment, that fact couldn't be denied, but Starfire had made _that_ the least of what defined it.

For the first time since he found out that she had lost the use of her eyes, he felt a sense of certainty; that no matter what happened; whether Starfire got her eyesight back or not, they would be absolutely fine.

A small smile played on his lips as he looked at her. _Yep, we're going to be okay._

To be continued…


	8. Teachers and Students

Standard disclaimers apply.

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.**

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Eight – Teachers and Students**

Robin walked into the training room the next morning and switched on the lights. In a blink of an eye, the entire place was lit and he gave it his customary assessment. Anything and everything was either hanging on the wall or set far in some safe corner; the floor area was open and clear of anything that might get in the way of exercises or a spar. He checked if the hand weapons on the walls and racks were in order and he scanned the floor for any stray debris. The room was as clean and orderly as always.

Since the super-villain rate went down, he had spent more time in the room going through various routine exercises, just to keep himself conditioned. In the last few days, he had used the space to work out the bugs in the training program he had made for Starfire. The program was about as perfect in theory as he could make it, but he expected that Starfire would ultimately dictate the adjustments he might have to make.

He went to the center of the room and sat himself down, knees drawn up. He leaned his elbows on them and stared at his reflection on the wall-mirror. He wasn't in uniform. It was the first time in a long time he had stepped out of his green, red and yellow. With the decline of crime, he figured he could try on the other clothes in his closet. He had settled for black nylon sports pants, an old white shirt, an old and black hooded jumpman and cross-training sneakers. He still had his mask on, though. It was still difficult to give that up.

He sighed, realizing how early he was there. _What did I expect; that the room would be a wreck and I'd need to fix it? _Perhaps he had expected just that. He was, after all, thirty minutes early.

He plucked a roll of weave hand wrap from his pocket and proceeded to wrap his knuckles.

He was just finishing up when the sound of the door opening made him crane his neck to look. It was Starfire, fifteen minutes early, and she was in form-fitting gym clothes; a marbleized blue sports shirt, black stretch capris and blue Prestos. He was mildly surprised to realize that he had been expecting her in her old uniform, however out of uniform _he _was. He rather missed seeing her in it, but he supposed it wouldn't exactly be appropriate for martial arts training. She would have to do some stretching exercises and that would be extremely awkward, not to mention revealing, if done with a short skirt.

"You're early," he said, grinning.

She didn't seem surprised to hear his voice. "So are you. I knew you would be early, but not this early. I shall just have to get up earlier. When next we meet for training, I must be in this room before you."

Robin chuckled. "Getting competitive already, aren't we?"

She smiled. "I thought I would take a page out of your Book of Greatness."

"Touche."

"Ha! Now then, _sensei--!"_

"You're going to keep calling me that, aren't you?"

_"Hai, sensei!"_

He sighed. If she started dancing around on tables high on weed, ala _Breakfast Club,_ he was going to get Beast Boy for it.

He led her to the center of the room to get them started. He set her walking cane aside and when he turned to get back to her, he saw that she was tying her hair back with a thick neon-pink rubber band.

"You'll need to do some stretching exercises first, and I have to assist you. You ready for that?"

She smiled. Of course she was.

_Stupid question. _It was only when he started instructing her that he realized why he had asked. Stretching required _very close_ contact, something he hadn't give much thought to until now and his question had been meant to _ask permission_.

He frowned, displeased by his line of thought. He told himself that this was an absolutely professional exercise; something necessary; and the close contact couldn't be helped. If he felt uncomfortable about it, Starfire would feel it and it would all go to hell, or at least be as _awkward as hell_.

Steeling himself against his hormone-induced thoughts, he continued the stretching, using a very detached tone when he explained the various muscles that would benefit from a certain position; or why it was so important that she did this and not that; how the effects of stretching could prevent serious injury, etcetera.

She listened and made intelligent remarks. He was encouraged by her unembarrassed tone and actually believed he would get through this without humiliating himself.

And then she had to lie on her back on the floor. He told her to spread her arms out to her side and straighten her left leg while he brought up her right.

"We have to stretch the muscles on your back and thigh. It's very important. A lot of back injuries occur simply because it wasn't properly stretched." He paused, looking at the nice way her leg was shaped. _God, it's like–perfect. Goes on forever, too..._

"Richard, is there something the matter?"

"No! I mean–no, nothing's wrong." Taking a slow breath, he placed her ankle on his shoulder. "You have to tell me when it begins to hurt. I don't want to push you on your first day."

She laughed before reverting into an exaggerated tone of gravity. "Yes, I am _very frail."_

He rolled his eyes, nodding reluctantly. "Yeah, yeah. You're stronger than you look... yadda, yadda... just tell me, okay? Humor your _sensei."_

Starfire giggled.

Shaking his head, he leaned forward carefully. She made no complaints and he leaned further. She began tapping her fingers and she whistled a bored tune.

Robin laughed. "Cut it out. I'm just being careful."

She giggled again. "Yes, yes. But be careful in a hurry, already!" She brought up her hand, put it on her ankle and pulled her leg towards her in a swift motion. Robin stumbled forward, shocked–because now he had his entire upper body pressed down against her in a position he'd never thought they'd be in–ever. He stared down at her face while she grinned in mischievous delight. "There now, you see? You did not have to be _that_ gentle! Sometimes you must be a bit _rough_ with frail little Starfire."

It must have been her tone; it couldn't have been as innocent as it should have been; Robin swore that it couldn't have been his fault entirely, but it was the worse thing she could have said under the circumstances. Her words rushed into his ears, through his brain and processed the most unwholesome images it could snatch in its rush. His body got the message in an instant and to his utter horror his hormonal alarm went off and awakened the _Richard_ in his Grayson.

He pushed himself off her with a yelp, stumbling back on his behind. He tried not to gasp for breath too loudly, and he hoped, he _prayed_ that she hadn't noticed. It wasn't the first time he'd experienced _that._ Since he hit puberty, he _constantly_ had to contend with potentially embarrassing stiffies, but not until now has it ever been _for Starfire._

Starfire sat up, her brows knotting. "Wha–Richard, are you alright? You seemed surprised by something. Is something the matter?"

Robin stared at her warily, wondering–for a split heartbeat–about who this creature was. What had she done to him? Or more importantly, what has she done to Starfire?

He blinked, looked down at his pants, and then back at her. _She's Kori, you horny dope! Get your mind out of the gutter and say something sensible! _"Nothing's the matter. I'm fine. I just–I just didn't want to put all my weight on you, that's all. You might not be feeling pain now but it could catch up on you later on. God, Kori–" _steady now... you're beginning to–relax. Breathe. _"I didn't know you were _that _flexible..." he finished lamely.

She chuckled. "Now you know, and you need not be afraid next time. Shall we do my other leg?"

He wondered why God was punishing him–or blessing him–he didn't know what at the moment. "I don't think so. You're stretched. Hell, I'm stretched. We're both stretched and that'll do." Boy, was _he_ stretched.

Robin stood her up and with a weary sigh positioned her legs and knees. Not completely trusting himself yet, he kept his distance for the time being. He knew how bad it had hit him, and in his condition, _anything_ could trigger it.

He began to teach her basic upper body forms, and then made her do repetitions. He then made her do combinations of those forms in a fixed order. He was starting her on muscle memory, so if she did enough repetitions, it would eventually seem less like a conscious effort and more instinct.

When she had her basic upper body forms and combinations down pat, he attempted to use punching mitts. Her muscle memory was quick on the uptake, so she had little trouble landing her punches at the center of the mitt. He proceeded to teach her the basic parries, or the deflection of attacks, and she did very well.

When finally, he called for a break, she eagerly asked him how she was doing. He told her she was doing great, but he told her too that _that _had been the easy part.

She pouted. "Easy part?"

He chuckled. "Yes, and we'll keep on being on this easy phase for a week or so, depending on how well you learn your forms."

"And if I learn them quicker than a week or so?"

Robin chuckled again. "There's no rush, Kori."

"Oh, I know, but I want to advance to the _difficult_ phase, the phase that will convince me that you are worse than the Warlords of Okaara."

"Ha! We'll get to that. Believe me."

After she'd rested enough, he taught her techniques to apply her proprioception in a combat situation. He told her that she had to be aware, first of all, of her surroundings. He reminded her that the room they were in was purposefully free of obstacles, because it was meant for training, but that in a real combat situation, there would be obstacles aplenty, and more often than not, nobody would be around to tell her what the landscape looked like.

"You have to figure it out yourself, without your eyes. You have to use your sense of hearing to listen to where sound bounces off; you use your sense of touch to gauge the flow of wind so you know when there's something coming at your, or if there's a window or a door; you use your sense of smell to know how close or how far you are from a person, object or animal. Your sense of taste works well with your sense of smell, and you'll be surprised at how you could use it to determine things. It's a combination of all these senses that will tell you what your options are. Most importantly, it'll tell you what or who you're dealing with in combat. If, for example, you could gauge your opponent's height, it's likely that you know the length and reach of his arms and legs. You know where his head is; and yeah, you know where his crotch is. Don't be ashamed to hit below the belt; this isn't a competition with rules, it's a real fight with real villains, so yeah, if you have to, kick 'im in the nuts."

She giggled, but nodded.

"I don't know how far you've gotten in your meditations," he continued. "So I have to see. Let's do a little exercise."

He told her to take a defensive stance, and slipping both of his hands into punching mitts, he told her he was going to move around her and she had to get a shot in as much as she could. "My movements will be random, so don't rely on a pattern. Listen, feel and smell. See what you could learn."

Starfire nodded, her lips drawn to a set line.

"Ready?"

"I am."

Robin put on the footwork, and he took it slow, moving around her with relative ease. He watched her and he could tell she was concentrating. As he bounced behind her, she turned, dealing him a backhand. He saw it coming a mile away and he blocked it with a mitt, but it was an excellent aim for his head.

"Good! Faster this time."

He moved a bit quicker, and she made several attempts that were in the correct direction, but she hadn't moved fast enough. A couple of them came close to connecting, but she was still too slow, or too hesitant. Grinning as he saw her frustration, he made a kung fu sound. She picked up on it quickly enough, doing a punch-combo that landed perfectly. He caught both punches in his mitts but he was impressed, nonetheless. He praised her, and he was getting a clearer picture of her capabilities now. He told her that this time, he was going to attack, so she needed to parry.

She probably wasn't going to like the treatment he would be dealing her, but it had to be done. He pranced around her, landing the mitts on various parts of her. Of course, he didn't hit her hard. They were nothing more than gentle nudges, but it served its purpose. She deflected them too late, though she was in form. After several hits, she still couldn't make a proper parry. He could see that she was growing frustrated, but he also noted that she steeled herself from getting distracted by a determined effort to refocus.

Finally, she managed to deflect his combo-hit.

"Excellent! Again!" He reversed his combo, just to surprise her, and he was pleased when she deflected those hits as well, relying on her senses more than his word. "Well done, young grasshopper!"

She giggled. "What did you call me?"

"Ah, I see Beast Boy hasn't gotten to the kung fu flicks yet!" He made a few more attempts, some landing, but most of which she parried successfully.

Upping the ante, he told her to do both attack and parry. It was a rough round, but she was able to get in some good hits. She was also able to make successful parries, though she had been unable to block them all.

When finally, he told her enough, she collapsed on the floor, panting and dripping with perspiration. He laughed, getting to his knees in front of her. "Well, that wasn't so difficult, was it?"

"Not at all."

He pretended not to notice that she was still catching her breath in great gulps as she spoke.

He took her wrist and hauled her up. "Come on. We'll do some more sensory training. You don't have to do anything, just listen and get the feel of it." He could see the relief in her stance when he told her that it wouldn't require anything physical from her, though she said nothing. He _had_ gotten to her in that last exercise, but he was glad she wasn't willing to admit it. It meant she was hell-bent on showing him she was tough, and that was what he needed from his student.

Robin brought her to a corner where the speed bag was. He gave it a punch and the bag volleyed on its swivel, drumming against the platform above it in a satisfying staccato rhythm. "Hear that? Listen for my punch, and then listen to how it bounces back and forth. This one has a pattern, but every once in a while I'll change the rhythm, and you have to listen very closely, because the changes will be subtle. See what you can learn from it. Sit anywhere you like."

She did. She sat on the floor beside the metal supports of the speed bag platform and put her hand against it. He grinned and allowed it. _Whatever it took._

He began making punches on the bag, rolling his fists one over the other to meet the bag as it bounced back and forth. He shifted, repeated, sped up, slowed down and eventually lost himself in it. He grew tired, but he kept on going. After a long while, he gave it a final shot. It bounced several times before the arc of the bag dissipated, settling to a lazy swing.

He bent over, fists to his knees as he caught his breath. He looked to the side, where Starfire was, and she was smiling.

"That was most interesting, Richard!" she said. "And I did learn a lot! Do I get to do this as well?"

He arched an eyebrow then he chuckled between breaths. "Sure. I already know you could do anything you put your mind to."

"Good! I could hardly wait."

He nodded, sitting himself on the floor in a tired heap. He supposed he could call it a day for Starfire. He should get some training in himself. He could probably do some jump ropes, and then do his own forms later on; throw in some weight training after it. There really wasn't much he could do but train, and then later, if Starfire was feeling up to it, she might like to shop in the city for her Braille-format books.

Robin was just getting into the details of his planning when he heard an all too familiar staccato followed by a wail of pain. He whipped around, his eyes widening with horror when he saw Starfire bent over, clutching at her nose.

She was saying some Tamaranian words, and while he didn't know the exact meaning of those words, he had heard her use them in bad situations, so he could only conclude that she was swearing like a Tamaranian sailor right about now.

He went to her, sighing and shaking his head. "Do I have to tell you that you shouldn't have done that?" He tried to take her hands from off her face but she whined and pulled away.

"I just wanted to try it for myself! Oh, X'hal-dammit! It hurts like anything!" she complained through her fingers.

"It's not as easy as it seemed!" He sighed again. "Hold still! Let me see."

She let him look. There was very little bleeding, and he tilted her head up for a brief examination. Nothing seemed to be broken, but he couldn't tell much with the lighting.

His silenced must have unnerved her.

"Is something wrong with it? Did I break it? Oh, Richard, is it hideous? Am _I _hideous? Oh, X'hal! I am not _pretty anymore!"_

It appeared she would be fine. He began to chuckle.

Starfire frowned. "What is so funny? You find this funny, Richard Grayson?"

"Yes!" He threw his head back and laughed. "Starfire, I thought you said you had patience? First day in training and look at you, you're rushing into things unguided. Do you realize that an inanimate object just kicked your ass? Or should I say your nose?"

She pouted, but she realized the humor in it quickly enough. She began to laugh as well, in spite of herself, cringing as her laughter brought her some pain.

He pulled out his handkerchief and gave it to her, telling her to wipe some of the blood off. She did.

Robin took her walking cane and led her out of the training room so they could get some ice for her nose. She went with him willingly.

As she sat on a kitchen stool, holding a loosened pack of frozen peas to her face, he couldn't help but grin. _So determined; so stubborn; so Starfire._

"You are right, you know," she said miserably. "I was a sorry example of patience in that room. I promised that I would be patient but I have failed you in that respect. I will heed my _sensei _more closely, next time. There _is_ a next time, is there not? You are not too disappointed in me?"

He chuckled. "You learn fast, young grasshopper. Your _sensei _is pleased, so worry not."

She smiled.

Training was definitely over for that day, but mishaps aside, it had been an excellent session. If he could keep his hormones in check and if Starfire could adhere to the pace, they would have an excellent time, overall.

It was still early, and none of the other titans had emerged from their rooms.

Giving Starfire a supportive squeeze on her shoulder, he proceeded to make breakfast.

He had her to himself for at least another hour. It was a good thought, so he made coffee. With the coffee brewing, he pulled out some Eggo and proceeded to pop some squares into the oven. He left it and sat on another stool beside her.

Gently, he took the pack from her. "Lemme see that."

She let him. He snickered at the remembrance.

She scowled. "Richard, are you going to keep reminding me how ridiculous I was for doing what I did?"

"Well, no, but I'd imagine I'd be laughing about it for days. Hold still, for goodness sake. I have to make sure you didn't break anything." He cupped her face in his hands, tilting her head back gently. "Don't want to ruin that gorgeous face, now do you?"

She reddened and he noticed it. He wondered about it. Shouldn't she be used to people telling her how beautiful she was, by now?

Her cheeks felt smooth and soft on his palms. His thoughts wandered momentarily but he immediately stopped himself when he felt another stirring coming on. He refocused on her nose.

Under better lighting, he could tell it was going to be fine. It would be a bit sore for a few days, but when she was completely recovered, there would be nothing to indicate that she had had this accident.

He nodded, releasing her gently and was mildly surprised when he thought he felt her pull _away_ from him. He decided not to make an issue of it. He couldn't be sure about it anyway. "You'll be good as new in a few days; maybe even sooner considering you heal fast. You have absolutely nothing to worry about."

She flashed a half smile before turning away from him, muttering something under her breath. His first instinct was to ask her to repeat what she said, but he hesitated and decided not to.

Breakfast was done in another few minutes and they fell back into easy conversation.

* * *

Over the course of a few more weeks, Starfire added martial arts training to her list of activities with much enthusiasm. As Robin had first assessed, she was a quick learner, and while she was still a long way from mastering her proprioception, her improvement in its application was great. Raven continued to help her in this respect with constant meditation, but that was about as social as Raven went these days. Robin had little problem with this, since he knew it was best to leave Raven alone when she _wanted_ to be left alone.

Every once in a while, he would move training to after her Braille classes so that he could ask Cyborg, Beastboy or both to help out. They would take the training outdoors, where there was more scope for sensory perception–like the flow of wind and background noises–which could help him train her senses through various techniques. Robin included aerial practice, knowing full well that she would have to learn how to fly blind eventually, and it was better learned sooner than later. He knew she trained for this outside of their sessions, but as long as she was doing it safely, he made no objections.

He could also tell that she was finding the training more difficult by the day, but it was his job to push her, and–if he believed she could handle it–push her hard. After three weeks of training, he found out that her limits were yet unseen.

He had yelled at her; not angrily, but harshly enough. He couldn't remember the exact words he used; something to do with having no time for someone who wasn't giving him a hundred percent. He regretted the words immediately after he said them, thinking that he couldn't talk to Starfire that way–the way coaches or instructors the world over were prone to speak to their athletes and pupils. Batman had certainly spoken worse words to him, but Starfire was different. Starfire might not take it as well as he did. He was, therefore, surprised when she did nothing more than frown, after which she got into stance and did _much_ better. He thought maybe she wouldn't speak to him after the session, but she did, and with her normal warmth. It was as if she had forgotten the incident completely, acknowledging that she had slacked off for a moment and would be more vigilant next time. He knew then that she understood what they were doing here, and he respected her even more for it.

Things would have been excellent, as far as Robin was concerned, if he didn't have to contend with his own body. That first morning in the training room with her had set something loose; something he apparently couldn't control when he was with her. It was terribly frustrating, not to mention _painful. _Cold showers helped, which was why he'd never been so clean.

It wasn't long before Raven confronted him again. He didn't want to hear her tell him that his boners were disturbing her sea of calm if that was indeed what she was going to say; it was too embarrassing, so before she said anything, he cut straight to it. "Yeah, yeah. I'm trying, okay! Jeez."

Raven had looked at him dubiously and was about to walk off when she paused. "And try not to splash too much water on the bathroom floor. It's annoying." She left then.

He was in the midst of all this when Cyborg one day came into the Info and Rec room waving around a large, FedEx envelope. "Yo, Robin! You won't believe this, but someone actually delivered this to our door, and it's for you. FedEx must have mighty good service."

Rising from the couch, Robin took the envelope from Cyborg. There was no name, but there was an address. It was an address he knew well. FedEx's service was good, alright, especially if you paid them a lot of money. "Thanks, Cy."

Starfire stirred from the kitchen counter. "Who is it from, Robin?"

"We'll talk about it in my room. Come on." He ignored Beast Boy's suspicious gaze. He eased Starfire off the counter top, rushed her up the steps of the platform and went straight into the elevators. She expressed surprise, but she said nothing.

He would have to explain to the rest of the titans later, but in the meantime, this was for him and Starfire.

"Please tell me this is not bad news, Richard."

He cocked a grin. "It shouldn't be. It's from Bruce, and if he gives me bad news, I'm going to kill him."

When the elevator doors opened, he led her through the hallways and into his room. He settled her gently on a chair before he tore off the envelope's seal. He pulled out its contents and he saw a large card with Bruce Wayne's ridiculously elegant silver-leaf monogram on it.

Flipping it open, he saw the message in Bruce's handwriting. He read it out loud for Starfire. "Dear Mr. Robin and Ms. Starfire, I respectfully request the honor of your presence at Wayne Manor on the ninth of November for cheese and caviar. I have sent my private jet to Jump City for your convenience and it shall be waiting for you at the Wayne Airfield in San Diego on the eighth of November at oh-nine-hundred hours. Do not forget to dress warmly for the trip, as the fall weather in Gotham is in full swing. As you know, I am more than happy to provide you board and lodging at my home. Should you find these dates difficult, please do not hesitate to inform me, so that we may reschedule, otherwise, be present at the appointed time. I look forward to seeing both of you. I remain... your humble servant, Bruce Wayne. P.S. Give me a call before take off. B.W." There was cash in another envelope, and an accompanying note that said it was for any emergency expenses they might incur incident to the trip.

_Humble servant, my ass. Robin_ rolled his eyes. And it was so typical of Bruce to send money over.

Starfire gasped. "Goodness, how very courteous of him to make such a formal invitation! What is caviar?"

"Food Bruce Wayne eats," replied Robin. "The plane's scheduled for tomorrow. We'll have to talk to the titans about keeping watch while we're away. You'll need warm clothes for Gotham. It could get pretty crisp out there, especially up in Wayne Manor."

A wide smile spread on her face. "I must admit, I am more excited about meeting Bruce Wayne and being in his famous ancestral home! Oh, is he as handsome in person as he is on the magazine covers?"

He frowned, a wave of unexplainable resentment for Bruce Wayne coming over him. "He's too old for you."

Her eyebrow arched in surprise. "Too old...?"

"Yeah. Listen, I gotta go talk to the others. Why don't I bring you to your room so you could start packing?"

She hesitated a moment before she nodded, letting him lead her.

As they stood at the threshold of her door, he told her they would probably leave by T-Chopper a bit before eight in the morning to go to the Wayne Airfield, so she should be ready by then.

Before he turned to leave, he was surprised when she clutched at his arm. A fond grin was on her face.

"Richard, it is not as if I would seriously go after Bruce Wayne, and it is not as if he would pay attention to a silly girl like me. He is just such a celebrity, that is all. Besides, he is like a father to you. It would seem wrong–"

He waited for her to go on. She didn't.

"I will see you in the morning. Good night, Richard," was all she said. She turned and the door slid shut.

He stood there a moment, staring at the name on her door; trying to find traces of the words she _hadn't_ said, and then he turned, leaving for the Info and Rec Level.

To be continued...

* * *

Closing notes: If you're interested in what Raven "gave up" (some of you asked) you may find the answer in my newly posted story "Darkfire". I just hope it answers some of your questions.

In case you've never watched "The Breakfast Club" (1985), there was a scene there where they were high on marijuana and dancing on tables. Dancing on tables, of course, is a bit much for doobie, but it was the 80s, and we did what we wanted in the 80s, weed or not. As Bender (Judd Nelson) said, "It's social... demented and sad, but social."

I'm also happy a lot of you liked the lovechild.

* * *


	9. Jump

Standard disclaimers apply.

Edited (a bit): August 26, 2004

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.**

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Nine - Jump**

It had been the first time in a long time that someone other than Starfire was there before he was, so early in the morning. The sun was just beginning to peek out of the horizon and there were still thin patches of mist fogging the panoramic windows.

Robin stood on the elevator platform, his gaze shifting between Cyborg and the freshly brewed coffee. He was mildly surprised, but only for a few seconds. It was typical enough of Cyborg. When Victor Stone was made to sit at the helm, he took his job seriously. In this case, Robin left Cyborg in charge of the tower and any titan affairs that may come up while he and Starfire were out of town. It was comforting to know that Cyborg could be depended on.

Cyborg looked up from his magazine and grinned. "My man, you lookin' fly."

Robin grinned back, feeling slightly self-conscious as he descended the stairs to pour himself some coffee. "Last time you said that, I was going to the prom from hell." He was already dressed for the trip, two hours ahead of schedule. It just felt silly to emerge from his room in his uniform only to change out of it and get into his travel clothes.

He was in his fall clothing, resurrected from somewhere at the back of his closet. He remembered that living in Wayne Manor, he had a room full of Armanis, D&Gs, Ralph Laurens and Helmut Langes, courtesy of Bruce, of course, who didn't want dragging around a ward who looked like a Salvation Army reject. He left most of _those _swanky coats behind in the Wayne Manor storage closet. Jump City's climate didn't need fall coats and Robin's tastes didn't need the unpronounceable name of some designer slapped on the label of his clothing. All he brought with him from the lot were three sweaters and two coats, one of which was a leather coat in black and the other a suede coat in dark brown. The leather was something he had bought from of his own money competing in the underground motorcycle racing circuit. It was an expensive brand, but it was on sale, so he indulged. The suede was a Banana Republic, and not quite Robin's style, but Alfred had given it to him, and he always liked Alfred.

It was the suede coat he had on now, and he wore it over a beige knit shirt and loose straight jeans; and while he didn't normally go "better than his Salvation Army look" without Alfred convincing him to, there was something about looking sharp that day that kind of appealed to him, mask and all.

Cyborg chuckled. "Hoping to impress someone, champ?"

Robin arched an eyebrow as he sipped from his mug. He felt the heat rising in his cheeks, but it wasn't from the coffee. He didn't have to answer Cyborg.

Cyborg crossed his arms over his chest. "Is Babs going to be there?"

Robin choked on his coffee, narrowly missing soiling himself. He whooped, trying to get the coffee out of his windpipe. Cyborg had to pound him on the back. Of course Cyborg knew about Babs; boys mentioned that sort of thing to each other, and it was only natural for Cyborg to figure out that Babs and Bruce were connected as Batgirl and Batman, but it was surprising the way Cyborg brought her up.

Cyborg grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Was it something I said?"

"I'm not dressed up for Babs!" said Robin incredulously after he recovered. "Jeez! Don't be saying stuff like that! _Someone_ could hear you and take it the wrong way!"

"Oh? Now who in the world would take it the wrong way?"

Robin frowned. "Dude, _whoever!_ Every time you open that mouth of yours about girls _I _get in trouble. So please just shut up."

Cyborg chuckled. "Fine. So, if not Babs, then who?"

"Look, I don't have to want to impress a chick to decide not to dress like a slob. I haven't seen Alfred in a long time and I want him to think he raised me well enough to look respectable. I owe the guy that much." Partly true, as far as Robin was concerned.

"What's that I smell?" Cyborg sniffed the air and his eye widened in mock surprise. "I think the bull _did something_ on the carpet again!"

Robin shot him a glare. "Oh, go suck on low octane gasoline, Cy." He took another gulp of coffee.

This time, Cyborg laughed, pounding his hand on the countertop. Robin didn't think it was so funny.

_I'm not dressed up for Babs, _he thought with a scowl. _I don't even know if I'll see her. What the hell was Cyborg thinking? What if Starfire--? _

His frown deepened.

Thankfully, Cyborg decided not to pursue the subject after that last shot. "So, how long will you two be gone?"

Robin eyed Cyborg dubiously before making a reply. He gave a half-shrug. "Two or three days. Four; tops."

Cyborg nodded thoughtfully. "I figured as much. I don't expect much action coming up anyway. If someone attacks the Tower, won't be the first time…"

"Nope."

It wasn't that an attack on the Tower wouldn't surprise them, but somehow, having repaired the tower a countless number of times took the edge out of the entire Siege-Fight-Survive drama.

Robin noticed that Cyborg had another magazine underneath the one he was reading, and asking Cyborg's permission, Robin took it to flip through the pages.

Cyborg went back to reading and Robin tried to make sense of the strange mechanisms featured in _Electronics Monthly_.

The silence was pretty much comfortable. In spite of their fights, their competitiveness and their clashing tempers, he and Cyborg shared a mutual respect for one another. For a couple of alpha males who had to live under the same roof, they got along relatively well. Cyborg was also the kind of guy he could talk to about alpha male things; things that he couldn't talk about with Stafire because—well, she was an alpha _female._

After what might have been several minutes, Robin broke the silence. "Cy, I have a question for you, and you have to give me an honest answer."

The half-robot looked up from the article he was reading. There was a second in Cyborg's good eye where Robin noted a hint of recognition; that this was guy talk in the making.

"Shoot."

Robin tried to pick his words carefully. "Have you noticed… anything different with Starfire lately?"

Cyborg wasn't quick to answer. He was obviously giving it some thought. "Her other senses have improved—"

Robin shook his head. "No, no. That's not what I meant. When you look at her, does she seem—I don't know—to have improved in looks… considerably?"

Cyborg's gaze narrowed ponderously, his robotic eye dilating for a second before going back to normal. "You're asking me ifI think she's gotten prettier?"

"Maybe. I don't want to lead you. What do you think?"

Cyborg rubbed his bald pate, maybe to jog his brain for an answer. "I couldn't be sure. I see her everyday, Rob. Probably. I mean, if her fan mail's any indication, she's getting more fan boys… which reminds me, I have to go to the post-office today to pick up our mail…"

Robin waved off the mail concerns. "Forget the fan mail and the fan boys. Don't you notice anything at all? By yourself? I promise I won't tell anyone."

Cyborg looked at him in mild surprise. "Rob, is there a particular answer you're looking for? Because you gotta work with me here. I'm not getting a clear signal."

Robin sighed, drinking from his mug. _Maybe I _am_ a perv. _

"How about you? What have _you_ noticed about Starfire?"

The question jolted Robin from the peace of his coffee drinking, causing him to choke again, with perhaps as much whopping as the one induced by the mention of Babs' name. He hadn't expected Cyborg to ask the question right back at him. It hadn't been part of the plan. Cyborg was just supposed to answer, not ask. Robin felt a sense of panic rise inside him. What if he ventured to make an answer and Cyborg saw right through him? Cyborg might understand, being a guy, but it was just too humiliating; _too humanizing,_ and in a lot of respects, Cyborg was more human when it came to emotions than Robin was, circuits notwithstanding. How would Cyborg react if he found out that their fearless leader was getting boners for a team member?

Robin composed himself, noticing that Cyborg hadn't helped him recover from choking. The half-robot merely watched him with sage patience, as if Cyborg had intended for Robin to drown in his caffeine. Before Robin could say something, Cyborg interjected smoothly. "Obviously, _you_ have certain observations and wanted to confirm them with me."

Robin strangely felt like he had backed himself into a corner and wanted to hit himself for it. How did he think he could get away with this without having to spill his guts? He tried to process some sort of reply that wouldn't give him away—_at all._ He told himself he was good at this, that he was a strategist; that he could formulate an answer that wouldn't necessarily be a lie, because he sucked at lying. He wasn't ashamed to admit that if he was any good at getting away with a lie, he probably would've blurted one out already.

He didn't stammer, but he certainly took long in answering. "Oh, I was just curious. Concerned, really, but it's nothing very important." It was lame, and it was a real cop out, but he hoped Cyborg would accept that as a reply. "Forget about it."

Cyborg closed his magazine again, leaning over the counter with a smirk on his face. "Rob, you've been spending a lot of time with Starfire, haven't you?"

Robin bit back his otherwise defensive reply of, "Yeah, so?" and settled for a more nonchalant, "Yup," punctuated by a casual drink of his coffee.

"Is it because you _have_ to, or because you _want_ to?"

"What kind of a question is that?"

"Just answer it."

Robin flashed a scowl. "I never feel like I _have_ to."

"So you actually like spending so much time with her?"

"Why the hell wouldn't I?"

"Why the hell are you being so indirect?"

"Why the hell are you being so nosy?"

Cyborg chuckled. "Rob, you're not the first person in the world to start wanting more from their 'best friend'."

The words hit Robin like a mallet to the head and it took every ounce of his practiced poker face to keep his panic from surfacing. His mind was screaming: _Oh God, he knows!_ But he stuffed it away and managed to calmly say, "What are you talking about, Cy?" He scoffed for effect. "I don't know what you're talking about. You're not making any sense." He scoffed again. Maybe he didn't have a very good poker face, but he felt he deserved an A for effort.

Cyborg's eyebrow arched. "Listen, Rob. Raven, Beast Boy and I; we've talked about keeping our noses out of this, but I could only stand by and watch you sit around on your ass for so long."

Robin swallowed a lump in his throat. _Raven! She _did _know, and she's told them! That—that _witch!

At that term of endearment, Robin had to reassess his reasoning. Raven may be a witch, but a gossip, she wasn't. There was no way Raven would go out of her way to tell _anyone_ about something she probably considered ridiculous. She may have confronted him about it, but only insofar as he was "splashing around" in her "sea of calm." She certainly wasn't going to concern herself with his problems when she probably had enough of her own.

So what exactly was Cyborg saying?

Robin could only pray it wasn't _that. _There were no proper words he could possibly say to _that_ that would save his dignity, in any way.

Perhaps noticing Robin's silence, Cyborg went on. "I just have one question, man: What are you _waiting for?"_

Robin blinked. "Excuse me?"

"What are you waiting for? You know—deep down inside of you—what it is you want from Starfire. Why don't you just go for it? What's the worse she could do?"

Robin stared, trying to process Cyborg's words. _Go for it? _Now Robin was certainly hoping Cyborg didn't know a thing about what he had been going through, because if Cyborg had the slightest inkling about his raging hormones, then Cyborg's advice was seriously _messed up. _

They were both reasonable men, so Robin willed himself to consider Cyborg's advice and the intent behind it.

So what was it that he wanted from Starfire? His body had answers, he knew, and his mind was some kind of accomplice to it, but there was certainly a part of him saying that Starfire deserved more than his cold shower worthy fantasies, and he tended to listen to that part of him. He was sure he was going in the right direction; he respected Starfire; she was his best friend; and she hadn't a single clue about what she could do to him. Which brought him back to the same question: What did he want from Starfire? Was there anything he wanted from her at all?

He could come up with a reply so full of horseshit that it would stink up the entire tower for the better part of an entire week, or he could take a coward's retreat. He wasn't a coward, so the alternative was forthcoming. He had to try lying. He had to make up a lie so dazzling that its ethereal essence would leave Cyborg awestruck; make him forget that they were having this silly conversation.

Robin scratched at his ear. A stalling technique, of course, but it gave him the two seconds he needed to compose himself and blurt out the fabulously dazzling lie with bardic grace. "Go for what, Cy?"

It was sheer poetry. He may not be a coward, but he knew the virtue of living to fight another day.

Cyborg did not look the least bit pleased. In fact, he looked terribly annoyed. "Don't make me shoot you. You know exactly what I mean. You and Starfire—"

"What about us?"

"Come on, man. _Us?_That should be obvious enough. You always want to be with her, especially lately; you treat her special in most things we do; your actions, whether in life or in battle, revolve around your relationship with her and you're hella jealous when _other guys_ try to zero in—"

Robin glared at him. "What other guys? She didn't tell me about other guys."

"You see?"

"I'm not jealous!"

"So what if you _are?_ That's my _point! _What's the use of denying it all? What are you so afraid of?"

Robin's eyes flashed. "I'm _not _afraid of _anything!"_

"Well then _prove it!"_

Robin was getting frustrated. They were back to this mysterious "thing" and it was driving him crazy. He pulled at his hair and growled. _"Prove what?" _

His voice had taken on a fair amount of volume, and of course, he didn't expect Cyborg to take it sitting down. Cyborg took a visibly deep breath. He was definitely going to yell, but what he said was something Robin didn't exactly expect:

_"That you're not afraid to tell her how you feel!"_

Robin's eyes widened as Cyborg's words echoed through the room. It ricocheted off the walls and back into his ears, bouncing inside his head in violent percussion before it settled to a lazy roll at the center of his thoughts.

He was shocked. He didn't know exactly why, but he was shocked, and perhaps it showed in his face because Cyborg suddenly didn't look so adamant.

Robin had to figure out at which point in the conversation the words "how you feel" ceased to possibly mean his raging hormones and began to mean something else infinitely deeper.

Cyborg coughed loudly at the stretching silence, though he kept the disapproving scowl on his face.

There was a hiss from the elevator platform and they both turned to look.

Starfire emerged, humming softly to herself as she stepped out of the elevator. She paused at the platform, as if to assess her surroundings.

Robin could only stare, his thoughts jumbled.

Like him, she was already in her travel clothes. Jeans, a square-collar ribbed shirt and a black, goth-patterned thigh-length coat. The coat was a loan from Raven. Starfire, as a Tamaranian, didn't exactly feel the nip of cold as easily as humans did, so she had no need to keep a stock of fall clothing, even if she had some old articles for winter, but awed by the prospect of meeting Bruce Wayne, she wanted to look "Earth presentable", as she termed it. Raven's most un-Halloween-_ish_ coat was the one Starfire wore now. Her outfit, with a nice pair of heeled black boots, made her look slightly more dressed up than Robin, who had on sneakers.

But most of it was lost on Robin who was still reeling from what Cyborg had just said.

Starfire's smiled. "I love the smell of coffee. It is strong and distinct. Cyborg, were you yelling?"

Robin's his mug toppled on the breakfast counter and the remaining coffee in it spilled on Cyborg's magazines. Cyborg was terribly annoyed. "Dammit Rob!" while Starfire looked worried in background.

"Are you alri—"

"Fine!" said Robin, grabbing a paper towel to wipe the mess. He cursed under his breath, peeved that he had gone from Fearless Leader to Bumbling Klutz.

Cyborg didn't even yell. He just shot Robin such a meaningful glare that Robin couldn't summon the nerve to glare back.

Starfire frowned, probably because of the all the early morning cursing, but she made her way down the steps without a word, her movements more fluid now after constant sensory training and almost two months of walking the tower sightless.

Walking past Robin, she gave his shoulder a squeeze, perhaps to calm him. His gaze followed her as she went to the cupboards, carefully feeling her way for a mug. She was almost always capable of serving herself with ease, after one or two mishaps in the first couple of weeks, but Robin always watched her, just in case she needed help.

He felt a nudge from Cyborg. Scowling, Robin mouthed, "What?"

Cyborg jerked his head in Starfire's direction, mouthing, "Help her!"

"Why?" asked Robin soundlessly, palms splayed upwards in a gesture of frustration.

"Because!" Cyborg reached over and shoved Robin towards Starfire.

Robin didn't know what Cyborg was getting at, and he didn't know why he was letting the half-robot push him around. He may have left Cyborg in charge for the meantime, but that was only until Fearless Leader left for Gotham.

Still, it didn't mean Cyborg couldn't be overpoweringly strong. Robin found himself crashing right into Starfire with a yell, almost causing her to nosedive into the brand new George Foreman Grill. He caught her around her shoulders to prevent the accident. Starfire would never forgive him if he knocked her teeth out.

"Robin! What in the name of X'hal--!"

"Sorry! Sorry! I slipped!" He looked over his shoulder and shot Cyborg a malignant glare. He quickly refocused his attention on Starfire who was still trapped between him, the chopping board and his embrace. He eased his grip away from her and reached up to pluck a mug from the shelf. He suddenly found himself taking his time, liking the smell of her shampoo, and he thought, for a split heartbeat, that Cyborg had something going with this idea. Robin took her hand and gently placed the mug in it. "Here."

The flush that rose in her cheeks as she gave him her thanks made him flush as well. She turned to make her way to the kitchen counter, only to end up bumping into him. They awkwardly stepped out of each other's way and Robin had to stifle a groan, slapping a hand to his face. He couldn't believe he had done that and suddenly Cyborg wasn't such a genius anymore.

Cyborg had the sense to be the one to help Starfire pour her coffee, perhaps thinking that Robin was in no condition to help anyone.

Starfire made no mention of what she heard Cyborg say. Robin didn't think he could handle it if she began to ask questions. He still thought he hadn't been given enough time to absorb the implications of what Cyborg had said, so he hoped he didn't have to deal with it until he was clear on things.

"You ready to head to Gotham, Star?" asked Cyborg when it was clear Robin hadn't the sense to start light conversation.

She smiled. "Oh, yes. I am looking forward to meeting Robin's Gotham family."

Cyborg wiggled an eyebrow, grinning. "So am I. Listen, think you could get Batman to sign my Batman figurine? I'll give it to you later, before you leave. I'll give you a silvertip pen for him to sign with, too. Rob, you think he'd have a pen in his utility belt? Anyway, Starfire, just bring the pen, to make sure."

It made Robin snarl, but Cyborg and Starfire ignored him.

"I am sure he will oblige me. He sounds like a kind enough man to sign an autograph for a silly young girl." She giggled and it sent Robin's teeth to gnashing.

It annoyed him to hear Starfire _giggle_ whenever she said Bruce Wayne or Batman. _"I'll _have him sign it, Cy. Starfire has other things to worry about over there."

Starfire waved his suggestion away. "It will be no trouble to me, Robin. It will only take a few seconds."

Cyborg scoffed. "Yeah, let Starfire do it. If it's Starfire asking, Batman will surely make it look nice. She's got the charms to do that, eh?"

Starfire giggled again. All Robin could do from growling at Cyborg was to pour himself more coffee.

"I've kept a journal of Batman, you know," said Starfire.

Robin caught his elbow on a corner and he cursed vehemently, perhaps more than the corner deserved.

Starfire continued. "I used to clip articles and pictures and a lot of them were articles from before, from when Robin was still his partner. They were lovely pictures, Robin."

Robin muttered his acknowledgement, drinking from his mug.

"And then there were pictures of Robin with Batgirl too."

For a third time that day, Robin choked on his coffee.

Starfire seemed startled but Cyborg assured her that Robin was fine; just that something got caught in his throat.

Though looking uncertain, Starfire went on. "Do you know her personally, Robin? As in, her true identity? Is she very pretty? Of course I only saw her with her mask on but she seemed like she would be quite attractive."

"Yeah—um—" Robin composed himself. "Barbara Gordon? She's okay. Cute."

"Cute?" Starfire was not so familiar with the use of "cute" in terms of people. To her, "cute" was something she called a furry little kitten. "Well, is she a very nice person?"

"Er, yeah. Say Starfire, care for some breakfast? I'll make you some French Toast."

She looked mildly startled. "Um—certainly. That would be nice."

"While you're at it, make some for me, too."

Robin shot Cyborg a glare as he swiped out the bread knife. Cyborg flashed a shiny grin, unperturbed.

Robin was just glad most early mornings didn't have Cyborg in them.

* * *

Robin saw the Wayne Airfield up ahead from his seat on the T-Chopper. Bruce's sleek blue and silver private jet, with the Wayne insignia splayed on its fin, was ready for taxiing. Robin could make out a few people in suits waiting to meet them at the landing area. 

Cyborg, maneuvering the copter, gave Robin a thumbs-up sign. "Nice ride," he said over the shortwave radio.

"Always, when it's Bruce Wayne," was all Robin could say. He looked over his shoulder at Starfire who had a shortwave radio of her own. If she heard their conversation, she made no indication of it. She had been relatively silent most of the way. She only once asked how much longer before they arrived at the airport, after which she said nothing more.

They'd left Beast Boy and Raven at the tower. Beast Boy merely said that he'd have a bunch of movies ready for Starfire when they got back and promptly returned to playing his videogame. Raven's goodbye was more…

_Disturbing,_ was the word Robin used to describe it.

They were heading up to the rooftop, just about to climb the steel staircase leading to the helipad when Raven stopped Starfire at the threshold.

Unmindful of Robin who was guiding Starfire, Raven handed Starfire a tarot card, with a strangely dressed man. "I did a reading of you, because you were leaving."

Starfire chuckled. "But I will return in a few days."

"I know, but the results were… significant, and it is best told while it remains fresh in my mind. The Fool was your Major Arcana, of course, but it was flanked by the ace of cups."

Robin didn't know what it meant, but Starfire blushed so deeply and in such a becoming manner that he could barely take his eyes off her.

Raven squeezed Starfire's shoulder. "That is only the beginning. The Fool was crossed by the Emperor of five swords, though beneath it was the World. It's very vague, but unnerving, more so when the Hanged Man presented itself in one of your paths."

Starfire didn't say anything for a moment. When she spoke, she gave Raven an embrace, perhaps surprising Raven herself. "I feel _that_ is a long way from now. At this time, I will take the Fool as it is. It is most meaningful."

Raven looked at her, watching Starfire's face, as if Raven suspected that Starfire knew something, but moments later, she nodded, handing her an oddly shaped turquoise stone and folding it within Starfire's grasp. "Bones of the soil doth magic hold; by the fire, water and earth, made whole; to heal the flesh, to ease the soul." Their hands glowed black.

Starfire smiled. "So mote it be."

Raven turned and left.

Robin had looked at Starfire funny while he guided her up the stairs. "What was _that_ about?"

Starfire held the stone and card to her heart, blushing again. "Most of it is—complicated, but I suppose one could say that it is the closest thing to 'girl talk' as Raven could get. As for this stone, it is blessed with healing, mostly for the eyes, but it seeks to heal the soul first, which I think is more important than anything else."

Robin had found it perplexing then, and forty five minutes later, nearing the Wayne Airfield, it was _still_ confusing. He saw Starfire holding the objects Raven had given her and his curiosity grew. He would have to ask Starfire about them later.

Cyborg lowered the copter to the landing area, and when they were safely settled on the ground, Cyborg threw the electronic doors open. "Welcome to the Wayne Airfield in San Diego."

Robin grinned, pounding fists with Cyborg to supplement a handshake and giving him some last minute instructions, after which he gave his thanks before he turned to assist Starfire off the chopper.

"Thank you, Cyborg," yelled Starfire over the din of the blades. "Until we return."

"Word to the Bat!"

"What?"

"Nothing!"

Laughing at the exchange, Robin handed Starfire over to the capable hands of an airport attendant.

Robin grabbed a sturdy backpack from the small pile on the floor and draped it over one shoulder. It would be his hand carry, just because he wanted to make sure it didn't get lost in transit. The rest of their bags were taken and rushed to the baggage compartment of the BW Jet.

The copter doors closed and minutes later, it lifted off. Cyborg waved and Robin waved back, the sound of the blades dying as it flew higher into the distance.

The roar of the plane's engines replaced it and taking Starfire's arm, he led them around the plane to its boarding doors.

Robin could barely contain his surprise when a familiar face was there to meet them at the foot of the stairs.

"M' man, Alfred! I should've known Bruce would send a babysitter with the plane."

He was in his butler's suit still, his white hair as thick and as well-groomed as ever. There were a few more wrinkles crowing around his eyes and mouth, but he still had the kind eyes and the quiet dignity that always left Robin in awe of him.

Alfred flashed him one of his restrained smiles. "Master Robin, it is very nice to see you again." His refined, British accent was just as thick as always.

Starfire giggled and Robin knew it was because of the "master."

Robin felt himself redden. "Alfred, this is Koriand'r, better known as Starfire. She's our VIP for today."

"Most honored to meet you, madam," said Alfred, giving Starfire a crisp bow. It was, of course, completely ruined—but maybe pleasantly so—by Starfire going up to him to give him a warm embrace.

"Robin always speaks so well of you, Alfred. You have been a great influence to him so it is I who is honored."

Alfred was surprised, but he smiled and returned the hug, although rather stiff at the arms and shoulders.

Robin cocked a smile.

When Starfire released him, Alfred immediately tucked Starfire's hand in his arm to lead her up the plane. "Had Master Robin told me that his company was so amicable, I would have brought my best tea and crumpets."

Robin rolled his eyes as he followed them, grinning. "And when did you become such a flirt?"

"Ah, I always have been, Master Robin only, few have been so charming as to summon such behavior from me."

Starfire chuckled, giving Alfred an affectionate lean.

Robin shook his head, pretending to disapprove.

Starfire was led to one of the more comfortable seats where a flight attendant immediately supplied her with pillows and a blanket. As she was being asked what beverage she preferred, Robin set his hand carry aside and took the seat beside her, watching her surprise when someone came forward every few minutes to offer them all sorts of comforts and luxuries. The interior itself looked nothing like any of the commercial planes. There were perhaps only a few seats for take-off and landing purposes, all of them first-class types with a lot of space, full recline and leg rests. The rest of the cabin looked like a luxurious lounge, with a bar and kitchen at the end, couches, coffee tables and a two-player table for games like chess, baccarat and checkers. Most of the floor had soft, fluffy carpeting. There was a sound system tucked into a custom made panel and if anyone wanted to watch a movie, a plasma TV could be unfolded from the ceiling towards the front of the cabin so everyone could see.

It never ceased to impress Robin.

The doors were pulled and turned shut, allowing the plane to taxi.

When finally, the fuss over them settled, Starfire turned to Robin.

"This service… is common in Inter-Earth flight?"

Robin chuckled. "No. Very few people could afford to provide this kind of flight service. Bruce Wayne is one of the few."

Starfire nodded. "Who will fly this plane?"

"Er—the pilot?"

She frowned at his smartass reply. "And do you know this pilot?"

Robin had to smile. Starfire didn't have to ride a lot of planes in the past. She had the strength and stamina to fly long distances by herself and she could have flown to Gotham with twice the speed and half the ceremony it took to take off on a private jet, but circumstances were different now.

Possibly her first time in a plane, she had to deal with the fact that she would have to trust her life to a complete stranger. Flying with Cyborg was different. She trusted Cyborg; knew him. This _pilot_ was someone she knew absolutely nothing about.

He took her hand, which was only slightly cold. "Don't worry, Kori. Bruce Wayne only employs the best. We're in good hands."

"Do you trust this pilot?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Then that is enough for me." She settled on her seat a bit further.

He was surprised when he felt her leaning on his shoulder, her other hand idly stirring the straw of her iced tea. It felt nice to have her so relaxed against him.

"Master Robin."

Robin looked up at Alfred.

Alfred leaned over and softly said, "Master Bruce would wish for you to call him before take off."

"Oh, right." Robin dug into his coat, careful not to move Starfire so much, and fished out the Bat Communicator. He flipped it open and activated it, waiting for someone to pick up at the other end.

A woman answered, but the voice was different from the one he heard before. Again, Robin sat there, totally perplexed. _What's with all these women taking Bruce's calls?_

He frowned. "Um, this is Robin…"

The woman gasped. "The Boy Wonder? Omigod! This is _so awesome!_ I'm Supergirl, but you could call me Kara. I _love_ your costume! It's so _tight."_

He could hear her grin through the speaker and Robin's eyes hovered to Starfire, hoping that her enhanced senses weren't picking up on any of it. She lifted her head, mumbled something about _glemporks_ then fluffed his shoulder painfully before she snuggled back against it.

_She heard. _He was in a bit of pain, but he somehow liked the notion that she was being—well, jealous. He smiled at that.

"So whazzup, Boy Wonder?" asked Kara.

That snapped him out of his daze, and he was about to ask for Batman when there was a sound from the other end that made Kara whine in complaint.

_"Thank you, Kara_. That'll do." It sounded like Bruce in the background. There was a brief moment of silence before Bruce's voice came over the communicator more clearly. "Robin. Ready for take-off?"

"Yeah, we are." Robin smirked. "Supergirl, eh? Sounds like she's a little too young for you, Batman. Can you say _felony?"_

"On a good day, yes. Suffice it to say, it isn't like that."

"Maybe you should tell that to _Diana."_

"It isn't like that, either. So long as you're ready to leave, _Dick,_ you should buckle up and enjoy the flight. I'll see you in six hours."

"I could hardly wait."

"I bet." The line went dead.

Robin supposed the call was just for the sake of Bruce's information. The guy liked to be on top of things. It was also possible that Bruce was nowhere near Gotham, and Robin's call would be his signal to head on back. Typical of a billionaire superhero with a tight schedule.

A flight attendant stood up front and demonstrated the usual safety measures. Robin knew the routine, but Starfire listened intently. The demonstrations finished with the flight attendant informing them of their travel time.

The attendant finished with a, "Please sit back, relax and enjoy the flight."

Starfire sighed, "What is one to do for six hours in an enclosed space such as this?"

Robin smirked. "Oh, read; maybe listen to music. Sleep…"

It made her sigh again. "Perhaps I will try to sleep. If I could not, I ought to meditate."

Alfred came up to them, telling them in a soft voice that they should get ready for take off.

Remembering the flight attendant's instructions earlier, Starfire leaned back on her seat, leaving his shoulder.

Robin suddenly wished Starfire hadn't paid that much attention, watching her as she settled more comfortably on her chair. He sighed in disappointment.

He found Alfred looking at him, eyebrow arched.

Robin gave Alfred a "What?" expression.

Alfred glanced once at Starfire and then back at Robin pointedly before he left to take his own seat.

Robin pretended he hadn't understood. He stole a glance at Starfire as the plane started its take off. The jets roared in his ears and he could feel the speed pressing him back on his seat. He felt the plane leaving the ground and Starfire giggled at a particularly quick rise in the altitude.

He smiled. Suddenly, six hours didn't seem bad at all.

To be continued…


	10. Gotham

Standard disclaimers apply.

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.**

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Ten - ****Gotham**

Starfire found sleep three hours through the flight after an attendant had mistaken her request of Lemon Iced tea for a Long Island one. Naturally, the alcohol knocked her out cold and the flight attendant got a severely displeased look from Alfred.

Fortunately, two hours of sleep was enough to detoxify her Tamaranian system.

As she slept, Robin and Alfred, coats off, took to the chess table, thinking up strategies while they discussed light matters over Bishops disposing of pawns and Rooks pursuing Knights.

Pieces were splayed all over the chess board. Robin was up one pawn four to three, but his queen had been kicked out of the game. Robin was confident that his primary pieces were in a good position to trap Alfred's king at G-1, with Robin's rook unhampered at F-8, his bishops in A-3 and C-6 and his knight at G-5. But while Alfred could certainly be put on the offensive, Robin wasn't about to underestimate his opponent.

Alfred eyed the board critically, rubbing the fingers of one hand together in high-brow discernment.

Robin smirked and couldn't help but think that Alfred looked like a plotting English Lord.

Alfred moved his white queen over to Robin's pawn on D-3.

_Tricky._Robin knew Alfred had spotted his intent to let his knight intrude on H-3, and by devouring the pawn, Alfred also managed to threaten Robin's bishop on A-3. After a quick surveillance of the situation, Robin decided he had to sacrifice his rook by moving it in the direct path of Alfred's queen.

Alfred smiled serenely, looking at the board again. "I noticed that you have a particular kind of interest for Madam Koriand'r."

Robin arched an eyebrow. Alfred didn't like being too straightforward. It was impolite, and it removed something from his Englishman's bearing. So instead of saying "you like her", Alfred would prefer "you have a particular kind of interest for the madam."

Alfred thereafter ate his rook. It did, however, free Robin's knight to intrude on H-3. Alfred would either go for the bishop or go for the knight. Since Robin knew Alfred had sense, Robin was expecting to lose his knight in the next move.

"Why do you say that, Alfred?"

Alfred chuckled. "It is not difficult to see, Master Robin. Your eyes betrayed you long before the rest of you did." Alfred moved his queen over Robin's knight.

Robin's brows furrowed. "She's my best friend." He moved his bishop to C-5 from A-3, checking Alfred's king. "Check."

"It is not unheard of that a young man, such as yourself, would feel significantly more than just friendship for a beautiful young lady who just happens to be his best friend. If it is any consolation, the best relationships begin with true friendship." Forced to protect his king, Alfred slid his queen in the path of Robin's bishop.

"Did you all conspire to give me this lecture today?" muttered Robin, keeping his eyes on the board, elbows to knees, while he leaned his chin on his knuckles.

"Oh? I am not the first one? Well, maybe we all venture to say the same thing because your actions begin to speak louder than your words. You do know that, don't you, Master Robin?"

Robin was silent for a moment. His actions?

He let his gaze rest briefly on Starfire who was peacefully slumbering on her reclined seat. He looked back at the board. "Your queen's mine, Alfred." He moved his bishop, devouring Alfred's queen.

"Ah! So is my king, it seems. Well done, Master Robin! Shall we play again?"

Robin quirked his eyebrow and grinned briefly, agreeing to a new game. Alfred certainly wrote the book on being discreet. Even now, the old butler was going on as if they hadn't had any discussion at all about anything other than chess.

Several games and random discussions later, Starfire rose lazily from her seat.

Robin peeked furtively from the chess board to watch her wake up. Her hair was in disarray and her shirt was slightly rumpled. The attendant who had served her the Long Island, probably feeling guilty for her mistake, immediately approached her and offered some freshly steamed scented towels. Starfire responded, probably with a smile and took a towel while the flight attendant appeared to be giving her quick directions. Nodding, Starfire pushed her blankets back to get up, taking her walking cane to make her way towards their chess table.

Alfred spoke first. "Madame Koriand'r, I trust you are feeling better?"

"Much better, Alfred. The flight attendant said we would be landing in about forty five minutes, so I suppose I must freshen up. I would imagine that I look rather… _smashed." _

_Definitely a "Revenge of the Nerds" word,_ thought Robin. "Nah. You don't look smashed, just sleepy."

Starfire chuckled, patting Robin's shoulder fondly. "If you will excuse me…"

Robin didn't even know his gaze followed her retreating figure until he saw Alfred looking at him pointedly. Robin felt a blush rise in his face. "Alright, I admit. Starfire's really… really… God, _really _nice to look at. I can't even begin to tell you how her _nice-ness_ affects me, but that just makes me feel like some _perv_." It was easier to say these things to Alfred. Alfred would never judge him, and he had always confided in the old butler, probably the way Bruce did. "Believe me, if I could just _stop—"_

"Stop? Well, Master Robin, that would be difficult. That is the trouble with you masked heroes with your utility belts. You think you could stop emotions like you could stop a crime from being committed." Alfred smiled at the stunned expression on Robin's face. "What I fail to understand is how you and Batman could jump off high buildings without a parachute but both be so terrified about the prospect of a relationship with a perfectly fine lady. It is my belief that loving a good woman is much more pleasant and a lot less dangerous than hitting a cement pavement at sixty miles per hour."

"But—"

"Master Robin, when you love a woman, it is but natural to desire her. The trouble, I think, begins, when you cease to desire the woman you love. I suppose you could take a little blue pill for that these days, but I'd expect you wouldn't need such a pill for at least another fifty years."

Robin's jaw dropped, running his hand through his hair in slight embarrassment. He looked up at Alfred who was waiting for him to say something coherent. He looked at the chess board desperately. "Um—queen to knight A-6?" He made his move.

Alfred smiled sagely, moving his bishop. "Checkmate, Master Robin."

Robin stared, going over Alfred's words in his mind. He swallowed the lump in his throat and looked up. "Yeah. Checkmate."

* * *

Riding in Bruce Wayne's black stretch Jaguar beside Starfire as they cruised through the busy streets of Gotham City, Robin wished he had Beast Boy's proficiency for describing things as they happened. Beast Boy possessed a talent for making the best out of the worse scenery, so it would have been perfect to have Beast Boy around to tell Starfire just how great a city Gotham looked. Robin was irked that all he could see were the dark alleys, the gangs and the prospective purse snatchers.

Maybe it was because Gotham so rudely introduced itself to him, looking only a little bit better after Bruce took him in.

He could hear Alfred telling Starfire things about the city, and she seemed interested enough. Robin was glad Alfred was around to speak to her, otherwise, it would have been very quiet in the car.

The neon lights shone through the windows in an amazing display of colors. He didn't like neon lights; reminded him too much of Poison Ivy.

He supposed Gotham's glamour had been worn out of him by years of fighting the scum off its streets, and of course, there was his spectacularly dysfunctional relationship with Bruce to go with all of it.

Robin sighed. He missed the Titan Tower already.

Soon after, they left midtown behind and rolled into Gotham's more posh neighborhoods. As less and less people littered the streets, Robin couldn't help but feel a sense of—_is it nausea? _

Robin thought about it. _Not really._ Just an ingrained sense of a home he had mostly wanted to leave, yet was sad to have left nonetheless. And now he was getting back into it, if only temporarily.

He remembered how living with a circus was so much simpler; weird, what with the bearded women and the three-armed men, but simpler.

Through the darkness, Robin caught a glimpse of a gray monolith nestled in a cluster of trees, surrounded by wrought iron bars and sectioned by stone columns that rose into miniature spires. Huge arched and beveled windows looked out to the quiet street from the face of the stone structure, very few of them lit with a warm, yet eerie glow from within. At the east wing, amidst the parapets, rose two turrets. Dark, yet visible by the shadows they cast against the walkway lights. At the center of the expanse rose something like a fore-building, though it was not separate from the house. Robin knew what sat at the top of it. It was Bruce Wayne's room; a king sitting atop his castle.

Castles, by nature, were structures built to protect those inside it. Castles were battle stations; its primary purpose to keep the enemy out. It was fitting that a man such a Bruce Wayne, private; secretive; impersonal; would live in such a house, and no matter how many times Robin saw it from afar, it was still looked unbelievably big and luxurious.

Imposing at it was; perhaps the epitome of material excess, Robin wished he could tell Starfire how it looked. It was a wonder of architecture, if nothing else, and perhaps he also liked the idea that Starfire could picture where he grew up. It was an intimate thing to share, and maybe that was what he liked most about the notion.

Soon, they were gliding through the gates of Wayne Manor. The goblins atop the stone gate columns sat bemused on their perches, their faces turned away. The Jag cut through the thicket of trees, following the loop of the smoothly paved driveway, and stopped at the main door.

"We're here," said Robin quietly.

He was surprised when he felt her fingers threading through his.

"Where Richard Grayson became Robin," she said in soft awe.

Robin wasn't sure how he was supposed to respond to that, her words so parallel to his thoughts, but he held her hand firmly as the door was opened and they stepped out.

The cold hit them, as it did in the airport, and while he knew Starfire probably wasn't feeling much, he felt the hairs on his arms rising in response. The wind chill was the worse.

Alfred saw to their baggage, which wasn't much, but Robin held on to his back-pack. Alfred already had enough to carry around. While Bruce Wayne was not adverse to the idea of employing outside help, like pilots and drivers and flight attendants, he tended to keep his house staff to the barest minimum. Often, it was just Alfred.

Robin draped the backpack on his shoulder and led Starfire inside the house which was nicely heated. Alfred, however, did not ask them for their coats. It was handier to have the disposal of one's own coat in such a big house.

The grandfather clock in the receiving hall said it was five twenty seven in the afternoon. Robin felt it was later. They had left sunny Jump City only to emerge in this dark, dreary and cold place.

"Daylight savings time," said Alfred, noticing the disorientation in his expression.

_Of course._ He had forgotten about that.

"Master Bruce will be receiving you in his study. Master Richard, I am sure you could escort the lady to the study yourself."

Robin cocked a smile. Inside the bug-free house, he was no longer Master _Robin._

"I got y' back, Al."

"Of course." Alfred left with a pert bow, their bags in hand.

Robin chuckled. Alfred hated slang, and he disliked being called Al. "You have to excuse the long walk. That's the way it is around here. Everything's too damn far from everything."

Starfire smiled. "It is no matter. It would be nice to have a long walk with you."

He was extremely glad to hear her say that. He led them through the halls of the mansion, avoiding shortcuts on purpose. He tried, as best he could, to make descriptions of certain things, stopping every once in a while so Starfire could touch and get a clearer picture in her mind's eye. She was amazed, mainly of the space.

"It must have been wonderful to be a child in a place such as this," she said, with a hint of sadness Robin couldn't quite put a finger on.

He shrugged. "I guess you could say that. I was an acrobat. I could swing, do flips and jumps and still have enough space to spare. Doesn't mean I didn't break anything, though. Bruce said he ought make me pay for all the expensive stuff I've broken monkey-ing around, but he said it was worth all the times he found me half-dead at the bottom of the stairs or somewhere else."

Starfire absorbed this for a moment before chuckling.

Several minutes later, they finally arrived at the door of Bruce's study. When Robin told her where they were, Starfire froze.

"Do I look presentable? Is my coat on straight? Goodness… I am about to meet Bruce Wayne!"

Robin frowned and Cyborg's voice came unbidden in his head. _"…jealous…" _

Maybe he was.

"Kori, you look fine. Anyway, Bruce wouldn't give it much thought—"

The doors opening cut him off and he turned, exasperated by the amused look on Bruce Wayne's chiseled features. Decked in designer clothing from neck to toe, Bruce always looked like he had just jumped out of the pages of Gentlemen's Quarterly. The public called him a playboy, but what the hell did they know? The only reason Bruce came off as like that was because he _chose_ to come off as like that. Bruce, when it came to most things in his life, had perfect control.

"Hello, _Dick."_

"Bruce."

"Miss Koriand'r, the papers have done you little justice. You're even lovelier in person than you are in print. My name is Bruce Wayne and I am very pleased to meet you." He took her hand gently and shook it.

Starfire blushed; Robin glared at Bruce in the background.

"It is wonderful to meet you, Mr. Bruce Wayne. Thank you for having me."

"Please, call me Bruce."

"Then you must call me Kori."

Robin bit back a growl.

Bruce smiled, perhaps amused at the spark of annoyance flashing from Robin's eyes. "Dick, please escort Kori to one of the more comfortable seats."

Shooting him a glare, Robin did as he was told without a word. Bruce offered them something to drink, and when they declined, he sat on a chair opposite theirs, his eyes fixed on Starfire critically.

Robin knew the old routine. Bruce always sized everyone up, no matter who they were. It was perhaps the reason Bruce was so successful, because hardly anybody could take him by surprise.

The study, just like most of Bruce's haunts in the mansion, was dark; lit dimly. Right now, the only thing lighting the room was the roaring fire, a lamp with a soothing orange light over Bruce's huge desk and a couple of orange-light standing lamps in the sitting area. Robin had to admit that he had caught his particular fondness of dimly lit rooms from Bruce. _"Too many things to hide,"_ Alfred had once said.

"I've heard many things about you, Kori, all of them great."

Another blush rose in her cheeks. "I have heard many great things of you as well from—" she paused "—from Richard."

Robin and Bruce arched an eyebrow at the same time. Robin recognized the kind intent behind the lie and Bruce looked terribly entertained.

"Did he?" said Bruce, his eyes laughing. "How very kind of him."

"Yes, I'm very kind," said Robin sardonically.

Starfire turned to scowl at him.

Bruce moved on. "Whatever he said, I'm just glad he had the sense to come to me for help."

Robin rolled his eyes.

Bruce continued fluidly. "Kori, I can't promise to give you back your eyesight, but I have the resources to try everything possible to look for answers. Could you at least trust me to do as much?"

"Of course, Bruce. A cure would be glorious, but this offer, in itself, is something I am very grateful for."

Bruce smiled. "Think nothing of it. Now, let's talk about how this is going to happen. If you go through with this, you will be subjected to various physical examinations. They will take blood samples; tissue samples. Nothing more painful than a needle prick, I assure you, but ultimately, if you feel any discomfort, all you have to do is tell them to stop, and they will. My personal psychiatrist, Dr. Chase Meridian, will see to your well-being every second you are with my scientists. She _will_ make sure you are treated appropriately. The tests will probably take a day and a half, depending on how cooperative you are. In the meantime, I assure you absolute ease and comfort in my home. Are these terms agreeable to you?"

Starfire grinned. "Most certainly."

"Good!" said Bruce. "Now Richard, I'd like to speak to Kori privately."

Robin frowned. "Oh? What are you going to talk about?"

"That's why it's private, _Dick."_

Robin shot him a glare. Of course, it was silly to think that Bruce would try anything _lewd_ on Starfire. Bruce was never one to go for under-aged women, but Robin didn't have to like the idea that he was leaving Starfire with someone she gushed and giggled about. "You going to be okay, Kori?"

Starfire seemed surprised by his question. "Of course, Richard. Why wouldn't I be?"

He stifled a scowl as he stood. "Alright. I'll just be outside."

"Alfred would be in the kitchen if he's done bringing your bags to your rooms," said Bruce. "Go and ask him to make you something."

Robin spared him a glance before turning to walk out of the door.

* * *

Robin talked with peanut butter and jelly in his mouth. "So Diana is with the League and now they're… _unlimited?"_

"Quite right. Master Robin, do try not to speak with your mouth full."

Robin had the grace to blush, swallow and apologize. "So how many of them are there, now?"

"I honestly do not know. Quite a lot, I suppose. One of them suggested that they should demand the affiliation of your _faction_, but Master Bruce said that he did not want to bother your set up in Jump City, especially since you were doing so well."

"He said that?"

"Yes. Do not tell him I told you so."

"Heh! Who'd a thunk?"

Alfred gave a slight sniff of disapproval at the slang.

"Well, I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes."

Robin froze mid-bite on his PBJ. He'd know that voice anywhere. He looked over his shoulder, blinking. Her voice hadn't changed, but she certainly looked different. _Good_ different. Of course she'd filled out in the right places, and she'd grown taller too. She was in cargos, and her fatigue tee said, "Ha! Now you can't see me!" Her dark auburn hair was tied in pigtails. She was grinning, and she looked extremely pleased with herself.

"B-Babs?"

"Madam Barbara, using windows again, I see?" Alfred didn't seem very displeased.

Babs laughed, skipping to Robin's side. "I wanted to surprise Dick." She grinned, draping an arm over his shoulders and squeezing. "Are you surprised?"

Was she kidding? "Yeah."

Babs chuckled. "I heard the rumors," she said in a confidential tone. "I didn't believe them, but I figured I'd check it out for myself. Gosh, you're back!"

"Not permanently."

Babs smacked him playfully on the shoulder. "Well, of course, silly. What'll Jump City do without you? But I've always wondered what force on Earth was powerful enough to get you to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches again in this ridiculously big house. Certainly wasn't me." She bumped him with her hip.

Robin felt a blush coming on him.

Babs laughed at her success. Alfred offered her something to drink and a sandwich of her own. She waved him off. "Pish, don't you worry about me, Alfred. I'll go get my own soda. I know where it is." She hopped off to the refrigerator, opening it and peering inside. "So where is she?"

Robin arched an eyebrow. "Starfire?"

"Gods, you're still such a dork! Who else would I be asking about?"

He stifled a sigh, exchanging amused looks with Alfred. "She's with Bruce. They've been talking for about thirty minutes."

She popped open a can of Pepsi. "Mmm, Bruce. Such a beautiful man."

Robin had no comment about that.

As if on cue, the intercom buzzed and Bruce's voice came over the speaker. "Alfred, please come over to the study."

"I shall be there presently, Master Bruce."

Babs grinned and rolled her eyes.

Alfred rose from his stool. "If you will excuse me."

Robin watched Alfred leave.

Babs returned to the counter, grinning. "So, do I get to meet this fabulous Starfire of yours?"

A blush rose in him again. "I guess if you stick around."

Babs looked positively amused. "_Richard has a girlfriend."_ She said it in a teasing, sing song way.

"Babs, grow up."

She stuck her tongue out. "Not in your life. But gosh, Dick, it's been a long time, hasn't it? Look at you! _You've _grown up. Not as scrawny as you used to be. But—what's with the mask? You're at home, for goodness sake."

Robin arched an eyebrow. "Oh, I've just gotten used to wearing it most of the time in the last few years."

She nodded, accepting this. Having spent enough time with the Dynamic Duo, she had grown to understand both men's need for privacy. "You should come by here more often. Gotham kinda misses you. I know Uncle Gordy does. Whenever a crime goes down, he says something like, 'This is Robin's specialty,' or 'I keep forgetting that Batman isn't the Dynamic Duo anymore.'"

Robin chuckled. "Well, I've always liked the Commish."

She cocked a smile. "So everything's going really well in Jump City, huh?"

"Well enough. Crime rate's down, but it's not ready to be left yet. _I'm_ not ready." He added that last thought in case Babs got any ideas.

Babs laughed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Well, don't feel so smug about yourself, Dick Grayson. I'm not about to _beg_ you to move back to Gotham. You should be so lucky, because _I'm _not ready for that either." She winked at him.

He grinned, making another sandwich for himself as they fell into a comfortable silence.

"Split that?" asked Babs.

"Sure."

"So," she continued. "How long have you and Starfire been going out?"

"Hmm?"

"Well, _something_ must be keeping you in Jump City. Sure as heck ain't the bad guys."

"Starfire and I aren't going out."

Babs sighed, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Slow as _ever."_

"What? Slow? _As ever?"_

"Hey, _I'm_ the one who had to spring the kiss on you, remember?"

Robin's eyes narrowed wryly. "Point taken, but with Starfire—she's different." He sliced the sandwich and gave one half of it to Babs.

"Well, sure. She must be really special, but you're still slow." She turned away, as if she didn't care what he had to say about it. She ate her sandwich, hopping to another kitchen counter so they would be facing each other.

He was about to get a word in when she interrupted it with noisy slurps of her soda.

Robin sighed and just let it go.

They talked a bit more about the things they had heard about each other in the news, confirming and denying reports in friendly banter. Babs was as flirty as ever, but he was used to that part of her, so what might have embarrassed him before when he was twelve (or even when he was fourteen) was no longer as embarrassing to him, now that he was going on eighteen.

Moments later, the kitchen door opened. Robin turned and was astonished to find, not only Alfred, but Starfire as well.

"Master Richard, Master Bruce will see you now."

Only vaguely aware of Alfred's instructions, Robin observed Starfire. A small smile was playing on her face, though it lacked a certain brilliance. "You okay, Kori?"

She nodded. "You must go see Bruce, Richard. He said it was somewhat important."

Alfred smiled. "I will take care of things here, Master Richard. Do not worry."

Robin looked first at Starfire, and then at Babs, who gave him another wink. Alfred indeed, would take care of things. He nodded, giving Starfire's arm a gentle squeeze before he left to go to the study.

* * *

Robin didn't know how long Bruce was willing to just sit there and insist that they stare at each other, but he was up for the challenge. He leaned back on the sofa, crossed his arms over his chest and waited.

It was Bruce who spoke first. "Kori is very beautiful."

Robin sneered. "I think she's too young for you, Bruce. You should go for someone more—oh, I don't know… _legal?"_

Bruce arched an eyebrow. "Beautiful, _but not my type._ She is, however, _yours._ Between this one, Poison Ivy and Babs… I gotta tell you, Dick: You're consistent."

"Hey, Poison Ivy used some kind of mojo. That wasn't my fault. Besides, they're all completely different."

"Fine. I'll leave Dr. Isley out of this, but be that as it may, they all have red hair and long legs. Not to mention the God-given ability to kick your ass—"

Robin gritted his teeth. "Did you just call me over here to talk about my taste in women?"

"It's a little more complicated than that, Dick." Bruce cocked a smile. He picked up a glass that Robin hadn't noticed was there. It probably had brandy in it, though Bruce was never one to drink much. "Women… they're hard to resist, God bless 'em, but you haven't the slightest clue what they could do to you. They may make your job harder; you, more vulnerable. I've told you many times that you can't get too involved with them. The bad guys could hurt _her_ to get to you, and in the off-chance that you fall for the wrong girl, _sans the mojo, _they'll whip you from behind."

"They're _catty_ that way."

Bruce gave a shrug of acquiescence. "You see what I mean? You understand to some extent. Selina was an amazing woman, if only she didn't want to claw my throat out, that is."

Robin arched an eyebrow. "Unlike you, I don't have a thing for psycho women, _sans the mojo_. What part about _Catwoman_ did you find normal, anyway?"

"You forget, Robin, that I am a grown man who jumps around the city wearing a _bat suit._ I had no right to complain to a woman about _her cat suit._"

Robin laughed sardonically. "No, no, no. That cat suit was probably her only redeeming quality. You don't get to complain about that and deprived the whole male population of Gotham of eye candy."

Bruce grinned. "You do get my point, don't you, Dick? Kori's terribly sweet. Like an angel, but could you really go around saving the world with half your mind on a _girl? _Because you know, it can't be like that. Focus is near impossible with a beautiful woman running around in your mind."

"Kori has _never_ gotten in the way of my efficiency as a crime fighter, Bruce. And I couldn't even count how many times she's saved my life. _Best friends_ do that."

Bruce shook his head in absolute disagreement. "Best friend my ass. It catches up on you. Don't get me wrong, Dick. I work with women superheroes, remember? I would trust the likes of Batgirl and Wonderwoman—heck, even Supergirl with my life. But you don't get involved with them, Dick. _That's_ when they get dangerous."

Robin sighed. Bruce will never change. Emotions, for him, gave weakness instead of strength. Even Raven, whose emotions could blow up an entire city, acknowledged the fact that personal attachments were a source of focus, rather than a distraction. "Bruce, what are we doing here, hmm? We fight bad guys; we even say that we fight for those who can't fight for themselves, but how can you do that if you can't even let yourself care for anyone?"

Bruce arched an eyebrow. "On the contrary, it's because I care that I fight for the common good."

Robin rolled his eyes. He wasn't going to get fooled by Bruce's crap. "You're a vigilante, Bruce, but I don't know if you _care. _I'm not even sure why you do this. You gotta _care_ for something _in that way_. You couldn't be a detached superhero. There's no such thing. I learned that the hard way. I can't live your Machiavellian philosophies. I went down that road." Slade's face flashed in his memory. "And I'm not going back. I hurt the one I love the most."

"The _one_ you _love_ the most? I know there was _one_ but I didn't know there was _love._"

"I didn't say _one._ I said, _ones; _plural."

"You said _one."_

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did."

_"No, I didn't. _Look, Bruce, I don't want to argue with you anymore. You're hopeless."

Bruce shrugged a shoulder. "Fine. Go to your room, then."

Robin rose from the couch, grabbing his backpack from the floor. "I will."

"Good."

"Not because you told me so."

"Keep telling yourself that."

"Don't have to." Robin left the study in a hurry, intending to deprive Bruce of the last word. He hurried to the kitchen to see if Starfire was still there. The kitchen was empty. He felt a slight twitch in his stomach at the remembrance that he had left Starfire with Babs, but felt a little better about the fact that Alfred had been around to "take care of things."

Robin took the shortest route to his old room, which was over and around a few banisters and two chandeliers.

When he got to his brightly lit room, he saw his bag set down beside the closet doors. On one of the tables was a fruit basket. He frowned and took the card. It read:

**_Thought you might like this since I sent you to your room. –Bruce._**

Robin cursed profusely and tossed the card in the trash.

He looked around the all-too-familiar room and noticed that except for the posters that used to cover the meticulously wallpapered walls, everything else had stayed the same. The stereo, the books, the aquarium that used to contain his pet spider… the work desk was pristine, but Alfred probably set the clutter aside somewhere. The old butler would never throw anything of his away, no matter how much it looked like junk. He was even willing to bet that the posters he left behind were stored somewhere in individual canisters in some corner of the mansion.

He grabbed his bags and went to the walk-in closet, expecting it to be empty. He stood several seconds at the door when he discovered that the closet was full of clothes.

Robin surveyed his stocked closet and recognized a few pieces, but most of it was pretty new. He shook his head, dumping his bag on the dressing bench. _Shees, how long does Bruce expect us to be here? _

He tried to remember why he needed so many clothes before and recalled how living as Bruce's ward, he often had to wear a different ensemble for every meal of the day, mainly to entertain different sets of guests.

_What a ridiculous lifestyle,_ he thought, pulling out the sweater and pants he brought along. He didn't even bring another pair of shoes.

_Heck, I didn't even bother to bring my costume. _He always had one handy in the Bat Cave. He looked around him, grimacing at all the Guccis, Salvatore Ferragamos and Versaces. _What the hell am I going to do with all of these?_

Robin took his real clothes and tossed them in one of the panels. He kept the rest of his personal things in the bag and stuck the bag in another panel. _There, I'm unpacked. _

He went to the dresser and peeled off his mask. Who _had_ he dressed up for, anyway?

Robin shrugged off his coat and fell back on his bed, tossing his coat aside and never minding that he had his shoes on. Alfred would have a fit, but not today. The old butler was probably just glad he was there. At the Wayne Manor, he had a tendency not to be as obsessive about being neat and orderly.

The bed smelled like citrus. It was so typical of Alfred.

Closing his eyes, he found his thoughts drifting to the rest of the day. What was up with all of them getting on his case? Starfire this; Starfire that; go for it; don't go for it; _it's _completely natural… why is everyone expecting him to do something?

So maybe he _could_ be jealous—_sometimes._ So maybe it _was_ natural to feel desire—_a lot of times._ So maybe he liked to spend time with her—_all the time._ And he liked looking at her; and hearing her voice; and holding her hand; and making her laugh… and the thought that she was angry at him, that he might lose her to death, circumstance, or plain old time gave him an ache so deep that it could become a part of him…

Robin opened his eyes and frowned up at the high ceiling.

He sat up on bed, the beginnings of enlightenment winking in his mind like a small light, slowly blossoming into a complete thought.

Suddenly, he knew who he had dressed up for; he knew what he wanted and understood exactly what everyone was trying to tell him.

Robin looked at his reflection, mask off and plain clothed.

He had come back to Gotham in the hopes that Starfire could see again; he hadn't known that he'd been blind himself, until at last, he began to see.

* * *

Robin toyed with the food on his plate. He looked at the fork in his hand; so shiny; so vintage; so expensive. It had been one among many utensils placed at the sides of his plate; took him years to get used to it, because how many spoons, forks and knives did one person need, to eat, anyway?

At the other end of the long table, ten chairs down, sat Bruce; not toying with his food, but eating it very deliberately, drinking from his goblet of red wine at every bite. For a man who lived a dangerous and exciting life, he certainly knew how to take his time with his dinner.

On each side of Bruce sat Babs and Starfire, chatting politely about random things. Babs was explaining the concept of "high school" and Starfire shared her knowledge about "prom".

As Robin observed the girls, he couldn't help but think back on Bruce's comment about both of them having red hair and fabulously long legs. He stifled a groan. It made perfect sense, yet he had been the last to realize it.

_Way to go, Boy Wonder. Not such a wonder now, are you?_

He felt like an idiot. A thoroughly smitten idiot, but an idiot nonetheless.

Drinking from his glass of soda (something Alfred had frowned upon because steak and soda were _not_ meant to go together) he stole a glance at Starfire who was so amicably speaking to Babs. He wondered what Babs had told her about him; wondered if he was in any undue trouble. When he first met Starfire, Babs wasn't even an issue anymore, but who the hell knew what went on in these women's minds, anyway?

Even Bruce was not so arrogant as to claim that he knew how to handle them when they started to get under your skin. _God bless 'em, indeed. _

"You don't like your steak, Dick?"

Robin blinked, his silent reverie watching Starfire's every gesture interrupted by Bruce's insignificant inquiry. "Huh? No—I mean, the steak's fine. It's delicious."

Alfred, Bruce and Babs arched an eyebrow, all at the same time, and he had to turn away to duck from their gazes, sneaking another peek at Starfire for good measure.

"It is very different from our usual fare at the tower," said Starfire, having no idea about what transpired. "We usually have _Quick Food."_

Babs giggled. "You mean fast food, don't you?"

Starfire blushed. "Oh yes, of course."

Babs grinned, winking at Bruce. "I really ought to show you around Gotham while you're here, Star. You'll be a big hit with all the boys, and with your looks, we could get into clubs for free."

Robin shot her a glare. He knew what she was doing.

Babs took a mouthful of steak and bared her fangs at him. "After all, it's not like you have a _boyfriend,_ right? Or is someone pining away for you in Jump City?"

Robin shook his head at her in deadly disapproval, a snarl forming on his lips. He pierced a piece of steak with the tip of his knife and it made a loud clink on the china.

"Don't take it out on the plate, Dick," said Bruce. "It was my mother's favorite set."

"Oh," began Starfire, her cheeks gone visibly pink. "I do not have a boyfriend. But I—I am not very good with… _clubs… _or digging the scene…"

Robin sneered.

Babs waved him away in disgust. "Boys in Jump City have to be _really dumb _if they're not clawing at the chance to be your boyfriend."

Robin didn't know how he managed to let Babs get away with that one. He was about to say something particularly biting when Bruce patted Babs' hand fondly.

"Easy, Babs. We'll give the _Jump City Boys _their chance for the meantime. Starfire has a lot of things she has to get done first before she could go clubbing in Gotham. Right, Dick?"

"Abso-friggin'-lutely," muttered Robin through grit teeth.

Starfire smiled shyly. "Anyway… Jump City boys are not so bad…"

Robin looked up at her and felt a smile breaking from his lips. He momentarily checked to see if Babs was going to do anymore taunting and saw her chuckling in mild amusement. She seemed satisfied enough, so he went back to watching Starfire in peace, dinner plates and utensils none the worse for wear.

After dinner, Alfred offered dessert, but Babs reclined, saying she had to eat and run because she didn't want to have to explain to her Uncle Gordy how she was having too much fun at the Wayne Manor to bother with the time. Starfire declined as well, giving her thanks to Bruce and Alfred for a delicious dinner. As she stood to leave, Robin thought maybe he could skip dessert for sweeter company.

Starfire smiled. "Babs, perhaps I could see you out?"

Babs looked surprised by it. So did Robin.

"That would be nice, Star," said Babs, going to her side and taking Starfire by the arm. "Thanks for dinner Bruce, Alfred. You know I'll be back to mooch off you again."

"We shall look forward to it, madam," replied Alfred.

Bruce merely cocked a smile and watched them leave the room. When they were out of earshot, he spoke to Robin. "They're going to talk about you. You know that, don't you?"

"Then maybe I should hurry on over there…"

"Let them. How bad could it be?"

"Gee, I don't know, Bruce."

"Master Richard is merely worried that Madam Koriand'r will… misinterpret certain _histories."_

Robin nodded. "Yeah, what he said."

Bruce scoffed. "I knew it. Dog-tagged already."

Robin exchanged looks with Alfred and smiled. "Probably, but with Kori, being dog-tagged doesn't seem so bad."

* * *

By the time Robin got away from Bruce's lectures on the evils of falling in love, Babs had already left, and Starfire was climbing the grand staircase heading to the bedrooms.

Robin caught up with her, giving her due warning before he gently took her arm to guide her. "You turning in?"

She smiled. "Yes. Bruce said I have an early day tomorrow with Dr. Meridian. I do not wish to keep her waiting. I had hoped that you could give me a more thorough tour of the house; show me your secret passages." She giggled. "But indeed, I came here to find a cure, not gallivant."

Robin nodded, willing his jumble of thoughts to settle. He'd have wanted to bring her around too, perhaps share more secrets than he had ever cared to share with anyone else. But there was time to get to that, of course. First, he had something to say to her, because now was as good a time as any.

Taking a deep breath, he was just as about to begin when she spoke.

"You and Babs… had _something _before?"

That stopped him cold. They had reached the top of the stairs and he froze a moment before he let them continue on to the hallways. "Something?"

She bit her lip, as if searching for the right words. "A… relationship?"

He winced, trying to find the right words. "Probably… for about five minutes. I was twelve and she was thirteen; wasn't exactly the romance of a lifetime. What did she say?"

"She called it a—a _fling. _She said it did not last very long."

"That's for sure."

Starfire smiled. "She said she would have wanted to pursue it."

"She did? Funny. She's the one who basically had the dumping of me."

"Oh, she said that too, but she also said she had no choice at the time. She had things _happening,_ and she didn't have room for a boyfriend."

Robin rolled his eyes. It was so typical that he would find these things out several years after it might have mattered, and from another person, too. It was so typical of Babs. "I got that impression."

She giggled. "Babs also didn't want to get in your way. She mentioned that you had many things to deal with, becoming Robin. She might have risked having a relationship with you at a later time, even with the things _she_ had to do, but she supposed you wouldn't have made a very… _attentive_ boyfriend."

Robin frowned. "Hey… " Then he sighed in resignation, watching her. "Maybe not at the time, but I'd be a very attentive boyfriend… _now." _

It was the perfect time to tell her. She was so close that he could smell the faint wisp of cologne wafting from her skin.

An amused smile played on her lips. "Oh? Maybe I should tell her that."

His thoughts came to a screeching halt and his reaction was instant. "What? No! Babs was so—_before. _Done; over with." He sighed. Why did he get himself into these situations? "Kori…"

"Hmm?"

And then it hit him. His lips wouldn't move and his palms began to sweat cold. That smile; that small smile on Starfire's face… she had spoken about Babs without looking the least bit disturbed by it; had talked about Babs' thoughts on the matter without the slightest hint of—

_Jealousy._

His breath caught and the worse feeling crept up his spine: Pure doubt.

_What if… what if she didn't feel the same? _

All indications that she saw him only as a _friend_ came rushing into his memory like a tidal wave. He had absolutely no right to expect her to return his feelings, and what if—

_What if it completely ruins everything?_

Robin didn't even want to imagine how it would be. She might get so weirded out by the notion of him wanting more than her friendship that she might start to avoid him, or worse, feel sorry for him.

His stomach knotted and his eyes were riveted to the doors of his room, only a few doors away from hers. He could make a break for it, and perhaps forget that he had even dared to think.

"Richard?"

"This is your room." And it was. Whatever he had to say to her, he could not say it to her on this night.

She stood there a moment and for Robin, it felt like an eternity. Finally, she turned to go inside, pushing the great doors to let herself in. "Good night, Richard."

He swallowed. "Good night."

She went in and shut the door.

Robin squeezed his eyes close and rapped his knuckles against his temples in growing frustration. _"Shit!" _he hissed under his breath. _"Shit, shit, shit!"_

_I should have said something anyway. I should have! So what's the worse she could do? Reject me? _

His eyes widened at the horror of it. _Oh God._

Robin raked his fingers through his hair. There was a thin film of sweat around his temples and he cursed even more.

Maybe he didn't have to tell her. Maybe he could just go on like this; being her best friend. Helping her overcome her condition; teaching her how to fight; how to fly unhampered; holding her, smelling her hair, watching her go out with other men…

He growled, storming into his room; angered by the realization that the Fearless Leader wasn't exactly as fearless as everyone thought. "I'm such a dork!" He closed himself in and contemplated whether he could sleep off his failure by banging his head against the bedpost.

The bedpost remained ominous the entire night, so he lay awake in his bed for many hours before sleep mercifully overtook him.

To be continued…

* * *

Closing Notes: Hopefully something you'll find interesting… the chess moves I used for Alfred and Robin's game was designed by Jeremy Silman for the movie _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_. Unfortunately, much of the strategy was chopped and lost in the workings of cinemagic. The game I narrated above is the complete and original strategy Mr. Silman submitted for filming. (Note the emphasis on Alfred's White Queen and Ron's—I mean, Robin's Knight… ahhh… Now you're remembering!) It ain't a Wrongski Feint (or Wonky Faints, as Hermione so delightfully calls it) but hey, it's chess!

Raven's tarot talk will eventually be explained. Worry not. I didn't forget.

Lastly, a bit of an explanation on Robin's… well—_Richard _acting up, in case you're wondering why it's there at all. While I'm actually a hentai by heart, in this case, I wasn't exactly being hentai. As Alfred so discretely put, a man's desire may not be accompanied by love, but a man's love definitely must be accompanied by desire. Robin had to see Starfire as someone he could have intimate relations with if he was ever going to progress from his delusions of friendship to the reality of his growing feelings. In essence, I figured I'd let his body know where it was headed before his mind did. It was necessary, mainly because he puts up such a semblance of a tough exterior. As you could see, I had to sic all of 'em on him, even Babs, just so he could realize the glorious truth.


	11. Wayne Lifestyle

Standard disclaimers apply.

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.**

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Eleven – Wayne Lifestyle**

Breakfast was slightly unnerving.

It had been years since Robin actually sat down on a perfectly set table with a buffet-like spread arranged elegantly before him.

The bright rays of the sun poured from the large windows and all that had been dark and massive the previous night seemed to have transformed while he slept. Now, everything was lively and uplifting, and even the somber faces gracing the paintings around them couldn't dampen the effect.

He stared at the crystal bowls of cereal and marveled at how many types there were. Beside him was his own pitcher of milk. There were fresh fruits, cut into easy-to-eat pieces and to the side there was oatmeal, whipped cream and tapioca; just in case you wanted your fruits to come with something else. He hadn't even decided whether he wanted a steak breakfast, a Sausage breakfast, omelet, waffles, pancakes or French toast, much less what type of maple syrup he would want to slather on them. The closest he had come, in years, to eating this way was at the IHOP, and the waitress that so happily served them there was _not_ Alfred.

He wondered whether Starfire had any of it earlier that morning. She should have, as early as she may have been leaving the mansion. Alfred wouldn't have her going on an empty stomach.

She would've gotten the waffles.

"Master Richard, do you need more time to think about it?"

Robin snapped out of his musings. "Waffles will do, Alfred."

"Flavored or plain?"

"Er—plain."

"Would you like to have them with English Sausage, ham or bacon?"

"Sausage."

"Hash browns or scrambled eggs?"

Robin scratched his head in wonder. "God, was it always like this? All these choices?"

"Yes, Master Richard."

Robin sighed. "Scrambled eggs."

"Very good, sir." Alfred left to tell the chef.

Robin leaned back on the huge chair, letting his gaze rove to the scenery outside. There wasn't much to see, considering most of it was trees and the Gotham City skyline beyond it, but it gave him something to focus on while Bruce was busy reading the paper at the other end of the table.

As Alfred had suggested before he left his room, he was mask-free. The butler had also suggested that he wear a pair of chinos and a white, Egyptian cotton blouse from the vast collection in his closet, but Robin had foregone _that_ idea. He chose, instead, to go with an old pair of cargo-pants that had been pushed so far back in the row of trousers that Robin just _knew_ it had been placed there deliberately, just so it would be difficult to find, and then he fished a red long-sleeved graphic tee that said, "All Your Base Are Belong To Us!" from one of the higher shelves. He still remembered Alfred's little ploys to get him to dress "more appropriately".

Robin had laughed upon seeing Alfred's arched eyebrow. "Up to your old tricks again, Alfred? I'm _so_ on to you."

"Master Richard, that t-shirt is grammatically abhorrent."

"Of course it is! It's what I love about it. Besides, I'm only going to be here for a few days. I miss my old stuff."

Alfred, dignified as ever, merely bowed in acquiescence.

Now, as he sat in his grammatically abhorrent t-shirt, he couldn't help but wonder, with a soft chuckle, whether he was re-rooting himself into Wayne Manor.

He looked at the pair of battered "old school" rubber shoes on his feet. He had, of course, found them towards the back of the closet, practically hidden in a dark corner of the enormous shoe-rack. _Almost forgot about these things. Old shoes are the best!_

"Do you have any plans for today?"

Robin's gaze lifted to Bruce. He had not expected a conversation on the breakfast table. "Actually, I do. I was hoping to check with some of your scientists; see if I could get them to examine some stuff I brought over." He was also hoping he could sneak some time in to check on Starfire. She would be alright, he knew, but all that testing was bound to get boring. He thought maybe he could bring her some donuts or something similar.

Bruce peeked over the top of his paper to look at him. "Remind me to give you a pass so they'd let you in the front doors. We don't get many skater boys walking through there."

Robin scoffed. "Oh, they'll remember me." He was reasonable enough to own that Dick Grayson was a well-known figure in Bruce's many offices.

"Guards are new."

"Then I'll go through the mail room. I'm pretty sure you haven't fired all of the old employees since I left."

Bruce gave a grunt. "I suppose Ceasario could get you through most of the offices."

Robin quirked a grin. Ceasario was the Mailroom manager and had been with the company for as long as Robin could remember. Even the higher ups felt a great degree of respect for him, even if he really didn't care for the countless promotions he had been offered through out the years.

"But even Ceasario doesn't have access to all of the labs. Starfire will be in the Special Studies division which is strictly pass-only."

Robin felt himself redden, his cocky demeanor disappearing. He muttered that he would appreciate the pass, then.

Bruce quirked his own grin, returning to his paper. "Take the BMW. You know you want to."

Robin sighed, rolling his eyes. He hated it when Bruce toyed with his emotions.

_Oh well, so long as I don't take the Batcar…_

He looked out of the window again. It probably wasn't as warm outside as it seemed from the inside. He would have to put something on to protect him from the cold.

The waffles arrived, along with an enormous cup of whipped butter and freshly cooked sausages on the side. It looked positively delicious.

Yep, the joint was definitely becoming more comfortable.

* * *

Robin hitched his backpack higher on his shoulder as he walked through the chaos of the mailroom. He had decided to go through the mailroom in spite of the pass. He preferred Ceasario's warm greeting to the cold efficiency of Wayne Enterprises' security guards.

Walking through the aisles, he recognized several familiar faces. Many of them glanced up to catch him looking and they gave a friendly wave as he passed them by. He grinned back, if somewhat a bit distractedly.

_"Ricciardo!"_

He turned and saw the embonpoint manager, arms wide open. His hair had grown whiter, and perhaps he had gained a bit more in the middle, but his face was still as friendly as ever.

Robin smiled. "Ceasario, m' man!" He extended a handshake but was instead pulled into a bear hug that had Robin gasping for breath.

Ceasario released him and pounded him jovially on the back. "You've grown since the last time I see you!" His Italian accent was still as thick as ever. _"Come va, Ricciardo?_

Robin, while trying to get air back into his lungs, had to wrack his brain for what little Italian he knew. _He's asking how I'm doing. How do I say I'm fine? Ah! "Bene grazie. E lei?" _he asked, returning the question.

"Life is good to old Ceasario." He thumped his belly that had perhaps grown rounder since the last time Robin saw him, as if it was proof of his words. "And what brings you here, my friend?"

Robin grinned. "Oh, just thought I'd come by and say _ciao _before I bug the scientists. I need some of the chemists to check out some goop for me."

Ceasario arched his eyebrow, unsuccessful at hiding a smile. "And do you need me to bully these scientists into helping you?"

Robin chuckled. "Nah. Bruce gave me a pass so I could get into the labs and I'm sure the guys I'll be seeing would be glad to help."

"Just let me know if any of these geeks give you any trouble, eh?"

_"Si signore. Grazie."_

_"Prego!" _He then threw an arm around Robin and then sequestered him to look at some new photos in his wallet. Ceasario showed him pictures of new grandchildren and Robin had to stay alert for all the Italian phrases Ceasario so freely used with him. Robin didn't mind looking over the many _bambino _and _bambina; _or hearing about his youngest son's newest _ragazza_or girlfriend. It didn't take longer than a few minutes, anyway. Finally, Ceasario closed his wallet and said, "Ah, I do not want to keep your business waiting, and I'm a bit busy myself, but you'll come by for some espresso some time, eh? You will tell me if you have a_ ragazza_ of your own, yes?"

Robin chuckled. _I wish. _"Sure thing, Ceasario."

Ceasario gave him a friendly nod and another blow to the back for good measure. _"Ciao, Ricciardo. A presto."_

_That means 'See you soon,', _thought Robin_ "A presto," _he agreed breathlessly. He turned just as Ceasario was yelling at his people to get a move on with several _"Pronto!" _punctuating his sentences.

He hurried out of the mail room, waving to a few more employees who still recognized him and went to the elevators. He knew he should have called in for appointments, but he was afraid he'd end up getting booked for next week.

_Better for me to just show up unannounced. It's not likely to piss them off, anyway. Us dorks stick together. _He grinned to himself at that last thought, careful not to get the attention of the other people in the elevator.

He had spent enough hours in the past with these particular chemists to have developed some kind of long standing rapport with them. Even if he hadn't seen them since he last left Gotham for Jump City, he was almost sure they'd welcome him just was warmly as Ceasario did.

When he got to his floor, he saw that the receptionist was new, but his pass was enough to give him easy access to the labs. The pass was, after all, marked by Bruce Wayne's personal electronic seal. On account of the exclusivity of the pass, the receptionist didn't even ask for his name.

Before he was allowed to go into the laboratory proper, he was _asked_ if he would mind wearing a lab coat and goggles. Unlike other guests, he wasn't being _made_ to don the required clothing; it was just the kind of pass he held, but he put the lab coat and goggles on without a word. He didn't need to push Bruce's weight around.

As he entered the lab, a plethora of strange smells assaulted his nose. He could see different colored smoke rising and dissipating through the exhaust tubes while scientists worked diligently on separate tables. The place was well equipped, from hi-tech ultra-safe Bunsen burners to the most powerful laptops BW Enterprises could afford.

These were the slab-rat scientists, assigned to see to the more routine and common chemical needs of the company. Those with more exclusive projects worked in the Special Studies wing.

Robin looked around hoping his contacts weren't on special projects of their own at this time. They weren't. Theodore Griggs and Alberta Mosley were two of the youngest chemical biologists in the department. At least, that was the way it was when Robin first became friends with them. From the looks of things, at twenty and three (if Robin was not mistaken), they weren't the youngest anymore, but they were still the hippest (as far as nerds went).

Their cubicles were decorated with all the comforts of a work space. They had posters of various cartoon characters pinned up on their walls beside brain-twisting formulae. Mingling with their scientific journals were piles of _manga_Videogame magazines and _Magic_ cards. They used mood-rocks and anime figurines as paperweights and yet, un-posted, was a picture of Seven of Nine, from Star Trek Voyager, in a bathing suit.

Hanging from Alberta's side of the mess were two cross-stitched masterpieces that said, "Roses are #FF000, Violets are #000FF, All my base are belong to you," and "There's no place like 127.0.0.1."

Robin had to marvel at the fact that these really _were _his people if his t-shirt and Alberta's wall hanging could be so closely related.

It was Theodore who saw him first. He hitched his thick glasses higher on the bridge of his nose, his long brown hair tied neatly away from his face. Beneath the lab coat, he had a Greenday t-shirt and he wore baggy, stained jeans. "Whoa. Never thought I'd see you get sucked through this wormhole again, Grayson."

Robin grinned.

Alberta looked up from her microscope and her eyes bugged out. Robin could see that she still wore short doily dresses over her jeans. No more glasses, though. She seemed to have replaced those with contacts. He had to admit that her honey-browns looked much better without frames, especially against her mocha-colored skin. "Holy moley! It _is _you! We thought you'd been beamed up by aliens!"

_Just one, Alberta_ he thought wryly. "Long time no see, eh?"

Alberta laughed. "Are you kidding? Get over here, kid!" She gave him a hug and a pinch on his cheek, much to his dismay. "Why, you're not a kid anymore!"

Theodore rolled his eyes. "That happens to kids, Albie. It's a common phenomena tinged by a delusional paradox: people keep talking about how time flies but think kids couldn't possibly grow as fast. Even going so far as thinking they are inversely proportionate. How you doin', champ? How's college?" He exchanged fists with Robin.

Robin went with his standard response. "Too easy, so I thought I'd take a breather from the tedium."

"So you go here… to a chemical biologist's laboratory," said Alberta wryly.

Robin shrugged. "Nothing good was on the Sci-Fi Channel. What can I say?"

Theodore grinned. "Have you not heard about _Seven of Nine Seduces Ceti Alpha V?"_

Alberta thumped Theodore on the head with a _Star Wars_ magazine. "Unlike you, Grayson doesn't waste his time watching such trash, isn't that right, Richard?"

"Well… I certainly don't waste time…"

Theodore laughed and Alberta scowled, giving Robin his own thump.

They did some quick catching up of the last two years until Alberta finally said, "Enough chit-chat! Give us the goods, Grayson!"

Robin chuckled. He knew it was only a matter of time before Alberta's curiosity came through. Between her and Theodore, she always had a purer love of science. He unhooked his backpack and plopped it on the worktable. He pulled out a containment box and opened it, showing a snugly cushioned set of vials containing Plasmus' sludge.

"A friend of mine gave me these, hoping I could get specialists to analyze them for him," explained Robin. "Of course, I'm also as interested as the next nerd. It's powerful stuff."

Theodore picked up a vial and held it up to the light. "Toxic waste?"

Robin gave a light shrug. "Something like that. Until recently, this sludge was benign, but the level of acidity has increase, enabling the matter to eat through human flesh. I don't know if it affects all biological matter, but as far as humans and animals are concerned, it's highly dangerous. I'd like to know what this stuff is; why it became acidic; how it works. Stuff like that."

"Sounds like awesome shit," breathed Theodore.

Alberta frowned. "Hmph! Unnatural shit, is more like it. Give 'em here."

Robin grinned, his eyes twinkling. He gave Alberta a vial and putting on the proper protective equipment, she uncorked the bottle. Carefully, she took swabs of it and wiped it on a slide. With meticulous precision she crushed a cover slip and added it to a drop of wetting agent then she took another cover slip and wiped some petroleum jelly on it. Taking a dropper, she took the laced wetting agent, applied it to the sample on the glass slide then carefully dropped the cover slip over the specimen, petroleum jelly side down.

Alberta placed the freshly made glass slide underneath the microscope and peered through the eyepieces. After a few seconds, she spoke. "Curious. I could name a few of the materials right off the bat, yet… I've never seen some of junk mixed in here. Are these samples contaminated?"

"They could be. I have to admit that I haven't looked at them myself. I kept a couple of samples for my own observation," replied Robin. "But I kind of figured you'd be able to distinguish the contaminants from the actual components, so these are most of it. You're so good at this and all."

Alberta laughed. "Flatterer!"

Theodore ducked underneath Alberta and looked for himself, taking longer than she did.

"Well?" asked Alberta.

Theodore pulled back with a ponderous frown. "Eh, most of 'em is basic, yeah, but that junk... well, I've seen worse. Interesting though…"

Robin observed him and saw a glimmer of _something. _"What?"

Theodore shrugged. "Just interesting, is all. There are a shit load of tests we could perform on these, so yeah, Alberta and I will be obsessing, of course. You know how we get."

Robin chuckled. "Yeah, that's why I know I could depend on you two. Look, I'm not sure how long I'll be sticking around in Gotham, but I don't want to rush you guys on this. If I couldn't show up around here again, is email okay?"

Alberta scoffed. "You are talking to a woman who's had two Cyber boyfriends."

"Cheated on one of them, too," said Theodore.

Robin backed off. "Don't want to know how." He wrote his email address down and stuck it on Alberta's corkboard.

Theodore glanced at his watch and cursed, rushing to his computer and maximizing a window: It was eBay. "I almost forgot to bid! And two minutes to go till closing. Dammit! I almost lost the pyrocosmic defibulator!"

"The what?"

Alberta rolled her eyes. "Don't ask."

When Theodore was done placing his bid, Robin begged their leave. It was just as well; Theodore was distracted, keeping his eye on his ebay item. Alberta, too, was divided between him and his highly intriguing samples, so he was actually doing them a favor by leaving.

Securing his backpack, he left them with a wave over his shoulder. The two scientists waved back, already engrossed in their respective tasks.

Leaving the chemistry labs behind, he made his way to the Special Studies wing for Starfire. Bruce warned him that it would be best if he didn't draw too much attention to himself. The billionaire spared no expense to preserve the privacy of Robin and Starfire's arrival in Gotham, and until now, Robin didn't know what methods Bruce used to keep his flight staff mum about his guests, but if Bruce requested that he make as little fuss as he could about Dick Grayson's interest in Starfire, then he would abide by it.

Fortunately, all security measures after the initial gate in the Special Studies wing were digitized. After the security guard patted him down in the entrance and examined his backpack, he was left on his own to contend with the pass-sensitized security locks.

There weren't many people walking around in the hallways. Most of the Special Studies occupants were either holed up in their labs or smoking at the rooftop. There were two types of scientists in the Special Studies wing: The diligent and the Lung Cancer candidates.

Remembering Bruce's instructions, he sought Lab 6-B. The number of doors he had to go through was tedious, but at least he didn't have to stop and talk with anyone.

Finally, amidst the white-coated personnel, he spotted Starfire; a red-head in pink and black cross-training attire. She was jogging on a treadmill wearing a gas mask and she was attached to half a dozen machines that read her physical responses. She was surrounded by several unfamiliar faces, all of them taking notes, and not far away was Dr. Chase Meridian; collected, beautiful, observant and red-headed. Robin couldn't resist a chuckle. _Gotham__'s breeding these red-heads like bunny litter._

Starfire was jogging at a somewhat fast pace, but she didn't look tired at all. Her body temperature was normal and so was her heartbeat. She looked relaxed, running at a constant pace. Her eyes stared straight ahead and as usual, Robin felt that painful pang in his chest.

After several minutes, one of the doctors punched some buttons on the treadmill and the pace went on a gradual decline. Three minutes later, Starfire had stopped running and they were detaching her from the equipment. Dr. Meridian was with her immediately, giving her a towel and some fluids.

Robin was gratified to see how attentive Dr. Meridian was; the concern on her face genuine. As Starfire was led off the treadmill, Dr. Meridian spotted him. Robin waved and the doctor smiled briefly, whispering in Starfire's ear.

The brightness of Starfire's smile endeared him.

"Richard, you know you're not supposed to be here, right?" said Dr. Meridian in an amused, if somewhat stern, tone. She was one of the few people who knew their identities, so Robin was glad he didn't have to make up some lame excuse to be there.

Robin grinned. "And that means what, to me?"

Dr. Meridian chuckled. "Just like Bruce. Kori, think I could leave you alone with this guy? I'd like to talk to the scientists privately."

"Of course, Dr. Meridian."

Robin watched Dr. Meridian leave as he helped Starfire take a seat beside him. He frowned at what she said. "Just like Bruce? What's that supposed to mean?"

Starfire giggled. "It means what it means. Well, this is a nice surprise. I did not expect to see you until later tonight."

"Oh, I had some people I had to talk to in the other department, so I thought I'd drop by here. I missed you at breakfast…" He flushed. He hadn't intended for it to sound like he had missed her _missed her, _but he supposed there was nothing to be done for it. "I brought you something in case you got the munchies. Hope you're in the mood for honey-glazed donuts." Hastily, he fished the box of Krispy Kremes from his back-pack.

She was, and she happily partook of the box. After the first bite, she cooed that he was the best and that he was her savior. It made him grin like a fool, even if he knew that it was donut-high speaking.

Starfire then told him that everyone was being so nice to her; that she didn't mind when they requested her to hold still for x-rays, MRIs and such machines. She said it was mostly boring, but the most effort she'd had to exert was the running, and she hardly broke a sweat on that one.

"I must admit, when Bruce said I would be subjected to several tests, I thought it was of a—" she paused "—more rigid nature. Like that ones that determined your eligibility for something."

Robin chuckled. "That must've made you nervous."

"Oh, maybe just a little but I have encountered some rather rigid exams in my schooling years. I did not think this could be as bad."

Robin thought that an interesting tidbit to explore in future conversations. "I'm surprised Bruce didn't explain it all to you. Could've saved you the anxiety. Didn't you talk about it last night when I was gone?"

She smiled wanly, turning slightly away from him. "No. Last night's discussion was somewhat—well, disturbing. I shall tell you about it later at the manor."

Robin frowned. If Bruce had the gall to give Starfire his "emotions are the bane of rational thought" lecture, he didn't know _what_ he would do to Bruce. But if anything, Robin could depend on Starfire to be inherently more resistant to such notions than he was. Starfire was a being that thrived on sensibilities; she had to be happy to fly; she had to be self-righteous to fire her bolts. No, he did not have to worry about Bruce getting into her head and confusing her about that. He was, however, bothered that Bruce had said something to disturb her. He had seen it in her demeanor the previous night when Alfred brought her to the kitchen. He didn't like seeing Starfire like that.

"What time will you be heading back to the house?" he asked.

Starfire grinned. "The scientists wanted me to be here until seven, but Dr. Meridian put her foot down and said five o' clock, no later. The scientists did not put up much of a fight. Judging by her tone, I would say she could scare anyone into submission. That woman is a force to be reckoned with, but she is very kind to me. I am glad she is looking out for my welfare."

"So am I. Five, you say? That means you'll be back at the mansion around five thirty; latest six… " _Bruce wouldn't be home yet. _"It'd be—I dunno, kinda nice if we could spend some time relaxing in the mansion. I could show you around…" _Without anyone making any unnecessary interruptions._

Robin felt something thump in his stomach and he had to admit that being alone with Starfire in such a big house made him slightly nervous. He wondered if he could summon the courage to tell her how he felt and decided that he would worry about it when he had to deal with it.

"Ooh, that sounds _glorious. _Also, Alfred told me about some kind of _heated pool. _If it is anything like the Baths of Nur, then it must be wonderful!"

Robin tried not to think so much about Starfire in a bathing suit and said that he had no idea what the Baths of Nur were, but he had admit that the indoor pool was always a favorite guest haunt.

Moments later, Dr. Meridian approached them to tell Starfire that they would be having lunch with the scientists and that they would like it to be an exclusive sit-down with her. It was a gentle enough reminder that Robin had no place at _that_ lunch table and that he had to go. The kind doctor left them to their goodbyes.

"I'll be at the house when you get home, okay?" Robin said, placing the box of donuts carefully on her lap.

She nodded, smiling warmly. He was about to leave when she stopped him, her hands gently gliding to his face. He stifled a gasp, awed by what she was doing.

"Dr. Meridian called you Richard out loud," she said softly. "I assumed that meant you do not have your mask on."

He swallowed, leaning lightly against her touch. "I don't."

Starfire moved closer, probably so no one would hear. "Since that time at the tower…"

"Y-Yeah?" He wondered for a moment if the doctors would be overly scandalized if he moved even closer. He wasn't going to kiss her or anything; even _he_ knew how inappropriate that was but she seemed so comfortable with their proximity that he hadn't the will power to deny himself.

Her fingers moved gently around his eyes and she smiled, sighing. "It makes me feel like I am seeing more of you, though I'm… well, as blind as a bat." She giggled.

He could certainly forgive her for that reference.

There was a cough and Robin turned, red faced, knowing Dr. Merdian would be there. She said nothing. She merely smirked, watching him with her arms folded over her chest.

Robin said goodbye, hurrying away. Starfire called out to him, thanking him for passing by and bringing over donuts. He grinned, feeling somewhat giddy. He waved over his shoulder at Starfire and Dr. Meridian as he pushed through the doors.

* * *

Robin looked through the microscope again, trying to decipher what the microbes were. He looked at the rough sketch on his notebook just to make sure that he hadn't reproduced it with too many variations and leaned back on his seat with a frown.

To the side of the table were piles of books and science magazines from the Wayne Manor library. Some of them were marked with Post-its, but he hadn't seen the need to make too many flags.

Except for the numerous beeping and ticking sounds pervading the place, the Batcave was as silent as a tomb. There were dozens of computer panels, each with their specific functions, and Robin had gone through all of them searching for an identical image of what he was seeing from the Plasmus samples.

Robin had succeeded in identifying all of the particles, bacteria and matter present in the specimens almost as quickly as he had seen them under the microscope, but identifying this one particle proved to be elusive. He had found only three of its kind between the two samples he had kept for himself.

He had already reviewed the procedures necessary to isolate it from the rest of the material, but he knew it would be way too much work to squeeze in a day. It was already forty one minutes past five and thoughts of Starfire had already divided his focus.

It made him frown to realize that to a certain extent, Bruce was proving himself right, but Robin refused to believe that Starfire would ever get in the way of his efficiency when it came to field work. He had been with her in countless crime-fights, and he believed that his feelings for her then were no different from what he knew of his feelings now. She had never been a hindrance. If anything, she had inspired him to fight harder; better. Bruce knew nothing about it.

There was a sound from one of the caverns, and Robin turned, hoping it was Alfred come to tell him that Starfire was back. He was surprised to see Bruce emerging from the lockers; or rather, Batman. Bruce must have taken one of the other secret passages to the locker rooms because Robin hadn't heard him come in through the main entrance.

The Dark Knight gave him one look before turning to head straight for the Batcar that was just now rising from beneath its underground garage.

Robin sprung from his seat, leapfrogging over the computer panels. "What up?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

"The bat signal lit?"

"This is just a routine assignment."

"Sounds interesting. Can I go with?"

"Maybe when you start completing your sentences."

"Fine, then. Can I, Robin, the Boy Wonder, go with you, Batman, the Dark Knight?"

"Well, at least now I know all that money I spent on those exclusive schools weren't all for naught."

Robin sighed. "Come on, where are you going?"

"Your precious Kori just got back from the labs. Don't you want to be with her?" Batman hopped into the Batcar, turning the necessary switches on the panel.

Robin hesitated at that. "I do, but…"

"But nothing. Stay with her. Gotham isn't under your watch anymore, remember? Stick to Jump City, or do I have to tranquilize you?"

Robin frowned. If Batman so much as put a finger on the trigger of his tranquilizer gun, Robin wasn't going down without a fight, but he was in the mood to be reasonable; that and the fact that Starfire was back tended to make his thoughts a bit muddled. He stepped back, knowing he could follow Batman if he wanted to be stubborn even if the Dark Knight had a five minute head start.

The Batcar's engines roared to life. It sounded like a jet engine, and with a high-pitched whistle, it shot into the cavernous passageway, proof of its presence swallowed by the dark.

Robin stood there, his crime-fighting senses kicking into high gear, but he remembered his promise to Starfire; that he would be in the mansion when she got home, and he was surprised that he was actually torn. He supposed crime-fighting was more ingrained in him than he thought.

_"Just like Bruce," _Dr. Meridian had said, and Starfire had practically agreed to it. He winced. Well, if he could admit that he and Slade had similarities, he could certainly admit that he and Bruce were even more alike, however unpleasant the idea of it may seem at times.

Turning from the cave exit, he hurried to the main computer panel. He punched in the necessary codes and was only partially surprised when he realized that the passwords had been changed.

He shrugged. He was sure he could hack into the system. For the most part, Batman left such codes breakable for Robin, just in case there was some kind of emergency. He was right. Five minutes into his attempts, Robin had gained access.

The monitor winked and the image expanded to show a map of the city. A miniscule dot bleeped in one of the corners and Robin entered the necessary key strokes to enlarge that portion of the screen. Magnifying it, the dot became more visible.

It was the Batcar, and Batman had driven it into a turnpike.

_Where's the old bat going? _He knew it was just a matter of waiting for the answer, so he put his feet up and maximized another window on the screen. He figured he could do some research while waiting for Batman's route to make sense. Robin expanded the map just in case Batman left Gotham City.

Forty minutes later, entranced by the fascinating article he was reading about bacterial strains, Robin's attention was once again summoned by a sound in one of the Batcave access doors.

He stretched his neck a bit to look. He was too comfortable to have the initiative to stand up and find out who was coming in, but he strained his ears to make out the voices that were talking animatedly.

He recognized Starfire and Babs but was thoroughly surprised when he saw them emerge in cocktail dresses. Babs was in a sky blue number while Starfire chose to go with an attractive sort of mint green tube dress.

Robin had never seen Starfire in strappy, high heeled shoes, and of course with her long legs and svelte figure, she looked pretty spectacular. It was then that Robin could honestly say that he completely blanked out and stared at her like an idiot.

It wasn't until Babs sat Starfire down on another chair and smacked Robin upside the head that he came to his senses.

Babs chuckled. "Wipe that drool off your chin, boy. You're embarrassing me," she whispered, sauntering to a chair of her own.

Blushing, Robin swung his legs from off the computer panel.

"The Batcave sounds busy," said Starfire. Her posture suggested that she was tuning her senses, scoping the place out with meditative effort.

Robin cleared his throat. "It's always like this. So—er, what are you two girls all dolled up for? Babs, you're not still thinking about taking Kori out to the city, are you?"

Babs grinned. "And have her break a dozen hearts? Absolutely."

Robin frowned but Starfire merely giggled. "Oh, stop teasing, Babs," she said. "We have not made any plans for a night out in the city. Do you not remember, Richard? Bruce invited us for cheese and caviar."

Robin blinked. "But that was just a ruse, right? Just in case someone intercepted the message—"

Babs scoffed. "As if Bruce would leave something like that to chance. You should know the bat better than that. Naw. Bruce invited Uncle Gordy and Chief O'Hara to celebrate Dick Grayson's return and to honor his distinguished guest, Starfire. It's the strategic thing to do since he knew you'd be parading yourself all over town."

"The old bat was serious? But he just left for some kind of routine assignment."

Babs waved his concerns away. "I swear it's like you've forgotten _everything_. Jump City scrambled your brains, or something? He'll be back for the party. This little shin-dig won't start until later, just that Starfire and I were early. There were about a dozen pretty little dresses in Starfire's closet and I couldn't resist getting her into one of them. Doesn't she look fabulous?"

Starfire reddened and Robin stifled his enthusiastic agreement with an awkward, "Yeah." His eyes wandered to the monitor again and he realized that the dot actually hadn't moved for quite some time, possibly in the last fifteen minutes. He zoomed in on the Batcar's location and discovered that Batman was in the Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane. It brought his mind up to speed. "What the heck is the old bat doing there?"

Babs looked. "Maybe he's visiting some friends."

"Bruce may be plenty nuts, but the only friend from the Arkham Asylum he has is Dr. Meridian, and she was here earlier, wasn't she?" He looked to Starfire for an answer and immediately noticed that she was uneasy. It was the same demeanor she had after her private conference with Bruce. "Kori?"

"Yes," Starfire replied. "Dr. Meridian drove me back here. I am sure Bruce has good reasons for being at Arkham, though."

Starfire knew something; Robin could feel it. He could also tell that Starfire wasn't inclined to talk about it in front of Babs. He would have to ask Starfire later.

"Yuck. What are these?" It was Babs, and she was turning over a vial of Plasmus sludge as she held it under a table lamp.

Robin sighed, rolling his eyes. "Put it down nice and easy and _step away from the table_. That's not for you."

Babs made a face but did as she was told. "Blech, as if I'd want it. I'm going back up to pester Alfred. Dick's too grouchy for my tastes. You want to come with me and ditch the Boy Wonder, Kori?"

Starfire chuckled daintily. "I shall keep the grouchy boy of wonder company for the moment, Babs."

"Hey…"

Babs shrugged. "Suit yourself. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." She got up, tweaking Robin's ear to annoy him.

Robin scowled as he tried to shrug her off, failing miserably while she laughed at his efforts. Moments later, she had disappeared up the steps.

Alone with Starfire, Robin tried not to ogle her too much. He wanted to blame the dress and shoes for his behavior, but that would be lying to himself, and as he so often said, he sucked at lying. Starfire at Kitty's prom was pretty in her bubblegum pink dress, but this woman in green sitting with him in the Batcave looked far more sophisticated than her seventeen year old self. Even her hair was different. When did she start growing her bangs?

"Um—Richard? Are you still there?"

Embarrassed that he had let the silence stretch, he couldn't help but apologize. "Sorry. You—you look really nice." _Great, Dick. Now she knows you were staring. _He saw her blush and he wanted to melt through the floor. He hastily changed the subject. "So you—uh—know something about Bruce being in Arkham?"

The question made her tense, but seconds later her shoulders eased. "A little bit. It might have something to do with what Bruce and I discussed in private. He asked me last night about how I would feel about obtaining some… _particular_ technology concerning the restoration of my eyesight."

Robin's eyes widened at the mere thought that Bruce already had a possible solution within reach. "He's found a way already? What did you say?"

She made a gentle gesture to wave away his assumptions. "No, it is nothing like that. When Bruce said he would use everything in his power to find a way, he meant what he said. He is willing to explore all avenues, and one of them is obtaining technology from certain—" she hesitated "—questionable individuals."

Starfire's words and Bruce's current location set Robin's mind in motion. He stifled a gasp. "He's going to get information from one of those eggheads in the loony bin." In a way, it made sense. Some of the most brilliant minds were stashed away in the Arkham Asylum and if they hadn't been so evil, their breakthroughs would have been Nobel-prize worthy. He supposed he could understand how Starfire might find that disturbing, but he felt he was missing something.

She smiled at his tone. "Do not misunderstand. I would welcome the chance to show that though they used their genius for evil, their work could be used for good as well. It is not a matter of _who_ provided the technology but _how_ it was—or will be—obtained."

Robin frowned. "I'm still a bit unclear about this."

She nodded. "It is to be expected that those who have been incarcerated for their evil deeds would be _resistant _to having their work used for _good; _or more specifically, used on one who had a hand in putting them away."

That Robin understood. Victor Fries, for example, provided Batman with a cure to the earlier stages of the disease that debilitated his wife, and Victor Fries did it willingly, but not all criminals possessed that inherent good nature. Most criminals Batman put away would sooner rot in hell than let him use their diabolical inventions for good. So whoever this criminal was that Batman was asking help from now probably wasn't very accommodating either. "Who has the technology, Kori? Which criminal is it?

She sighed. "Batman had to capture him and contain him, which is why it took him so long to contact us after he agreed to see me… it is Trident, Richard. Trident is in the Arkham Asylum as we speak. Bruce told me he was difficult to find, and even more difficult to catch, but he had help from a few members of the Justice League and they succeeded. When they first caught him, he proved to be violently uncooperative, most especially when he was told that his research would be used for _me._ I suppose he still remembers how we—well, we destroyed his underwater lab quite thoroughly."

Robin glowered at the mere thought that Trident was standing in the way of a possible solution for Starfire. He should have followed Batman. He should have gone over to Arkham Asylum and kicked himself some Atlantian butt. "Is it his uncooperativeness that has you so upset? Because I could _make_ him cooperative. Just say the word—"

"No, Richard. Please… you have to listen to what I have to say." She looked decidedly distressed by his words and he went to her, sitting by her to take her hands. He apologized softly, promising to listen in spite of the growing hatred he was harboring for Trident. She smiled plaintively. "He still refuses to offer any help, which frankly does not surprise me. So Bruce… Bruce asked my permission to have him—" she flushed, as if what she was about to say was almost unutterable "—_hypnotized. _Mind controlled, just so they could extract the information from him. I—I refused."

Robin blinked, startled. "You what?"

"I refused, Richard. What right do I have… what right does anyone have, to take possession of someone's mind and force them to do something against their will? Even a criminal does not deserve to be treated so unfairly."

"Trident doesn't deserve _shit!" _said Robin in a menacing tone. "You've helped thousands of people, Kori. You're kind and good and you _never_ ask anything in return. What _you deserve_ is to see again. Trident isn't a _fourth_ of what you're made of. I ought to wring his neck—"

"I'd rather be blind my whole life than have him treated the same way super villains manipulate innocent people." Her voice was soft, but firm. She pulled her hands from his grasp, and it was the only thing that indicated her displeasure at his outburst. "I am glad Bruce had the decency to ask me how I felt about the matter, which is why I try not to be so troubled about his being in Arkham now. I believe that he would not do anything to violate my trust and because I know Bruce raised you as his own, I could expect the same from you."

Robin bit back the urge to curse Trident and his forefathers, forcing Starfire's words to sink into his consciousness just so he wouldn't be saying things he would later regret. He hadn't realized, until now, how unequal he was to understanding the depths of Starfire's sense of justice.

It angered him that Trident was uncooperative. Heck, it even angered him that Starfire was being so—

_So goddamn fair!_

But as much as the notion of fairness for Trident grated at him, he knew Starfire was right, and Bruce… it _had _been decent on his part to consult with Starfire.

He knew Bruce had little to no qualms about forcing Trident to cough up information like that, or did he? Maybe Bruce wasn't as Machiavellian as Robin thought.

He let out a breath of resignation. Would he have consulted Starfire if _he_ had Trident under his custody?

_Probably not. I'm too young; too impulsive, and the fact that I haven't defined the limits of what I would do for Kori wouldn't make me too reasonable, either. _

At that, he was glad that the decision hadn't been his. It would have been a mistake. He knew that now. Starfire wouldn't have wanted to see at the expense of someone's basic rights, villain or not.

He prayed that given time, he would have the wisdom and discernment Batman possessed; that which earned him Starfire's regard. He wondered if he could be equal to that demand.

Robin felt Starfire's hand perch gently on his shoulder.

"I know that you are only acting this way because I am your primary concern," she said, her tone softer still. "But I also believe in your sense of justice. You know I am right, don't you, Richard? You understand why I refuse to allow it."

He looked at her, his demeanor somewhat miserable, but he couldn't help but let a tiny half-smile escape his lips. She thought too well of him, but that was her nature. "I want to beat the crap out of Trident. I want to see him grovel at your feet, telling us all we need to know, to help you."

She seemed worried, and her hand traveled to touch his face.

Her palm felt warm against his cheek and he surrendered to it.

"But I won't lay a finger on him," he continued, if somewhat reluctantly. "You believe in me. You have _no_ idea how far that could take me."

A hopeful smile blossomed on her lips. "I knew I could depend on my boy of wonder."

Placing his hand atop hers on his cheek, he knew that she could take him wherever she wanted to go. "Kori…"

"Yes?"

The sound of footsteps reached his ears and he closed his eyes to contain the rising irritation.

_Spectacular timing, whoever you are. _

"It sounds like Alfred," said Starfire.

_Well, that cinches it. I couldn't bitch now, can I? Because it's Alfred. _He sighed miserably.

True enough, the butler appeared at the bottom of the steps. With the posture of a British dignitary, he announced his intentions. "Master Richard, Master Bruce has tasked me to attend to your preparations for tonight's soiree."

"My preparations?"

"Yes, Master Richard. I am to make certain that you are appropriately dressed."

Robin groaned while Starfire giggled in the background. "It's not funny," he told her. "I'm going on eighteen and Bruce still thinks I need a babysitter."

"Think of me as your clothier, Master Richard, and as such I have nothing but your best interests in mind. I shall make you worthy of the elegant Madame Koriand'r's company."

Starfire smiled shyly. Robin rolled his eyes. Alfred, as always, was a superb diplomat.

Rising, he figured he had spent enough time in the Batcave. It was time to get ready. He set Starfire's hand down gently as he went to the computer to lock away the data. The windows disappeared and he went to his work-desk, placing the slides in the portable containment box. When he was done cleaning up, he took Starfire by the hand and led her out with Alfred.

She leaned on him more than usual, probably on account of the high-heels. He left her with Babs in the library, with Babs promising to read some poetry for her.

Robin thanked Babs with a look and a nod. He followed Alfred back up to his room, where after he showered, Alfred "prepared" him for the "soiree".

To be continued…

* * *

Closing notes: I got the nerd quotes from and some anonymous contributor, so even if I want to say I made them up I have to say that I didn't. "All Your Base Are Belong To Us" is the property of geeks the world over, so that includes me.


	12. Cocktails

Standard disclaimers apply.

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.**

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Twelve - Cocktails**

Robin decided he would be amicable when it came time for Alfred to tell him what to wear. It wasn't as if Alfred would make him look ridiculous, anyway. He just told himself that he'd had to dress up for worse occasions, so he had very little reason to bitch for this one.

In the end, what Alfred made his wear wasn't all that bad. He figured he could live with a charcoal gray suit. Alfred said something about it being a "fresh, young-looking, wool herringbone style". Robin's sense of appreciation was much simpler: It had stripes and it looked good enough with a cool shirt and tie.

He checked the library to see if the girls were still there. They were; with Babs reading some passages from Dante's _Inferno. _Starfire was gasping at the disturbing imagery when Babs stopped reading to grin at him.

"Well, look at you! All cleaned up! Shaken or stirred?"

Robin shot her a sardonic grin. "Cut it out, Babs."

Starfire smiled. "Ooh, does Richard look very handsome?"

Robin reddened as Babs giggled, greatly amused.

"Let's just say he's fit to be seen with the likes of us," said Babs when she was done laughing.

Starfire grinned. "Then he must look _stunning."_

This set Babs in another fit of giggles. "That's my girl."

Robin arched an eyebrow, taking a seat beside Starfire. "Are you two going to make fun of me the entire night?"

Starfire gingerly felt for his shoulder then patted him, stifling a giggle of her own. "Of course not! Go take a book and read something to us. It will pass the time and keep us from getting into mischief."

Robin shrugged and grabbed "The Compiled Works of Edgar Allan Poe". He liked old Poe. He cleared his throat and read.

_"Ah, broken is the golden bowl! The spirit flown forever!_

_Let the bell toll! â€" a saintly soul floats on the Stygian river;_

_And, Guy de Vere, has thou no tear? â€" weep now or nevermore!_

_See, on yon drear and rigid bier low lies thy love, Leonore!_

_Come! Let the burial–"_

"God almighty, stop!" implored Babs.

Robin looked at her questioningly. "What?"

"That was so depressing! Read any further and I'll kill myself."

"Why? Is Leonore a friend of yours or something?"

"Oh, you know what I mean!"

Starfire's gentle touch fell upon his arm, a chuckle rising from her throat. "Perhaps something less dark."

"Go with a love poem," Babs suggested, shoving an open book in Robin's hands.

Robin read it over with furrowed brows.

_"I love thee as I love the calm_

_Of sweet star lighted hours!_

_I love thee as I love the balm_

_Of early jes'mine flow'rs._

_"I love thee as I love the last_

_Rich smile of fading day_

_I love thee–_

"Cripes, Babs! It just goes on and on like this. 'I love thee this' and 'I love thee that'... who the hell wrote this?"

Babs scowled. "Eliza Acton. What's wrong with it?"

"Sappy as hell, that's what."

"Well, love poems are _supposed_ to be sappy."

Robin scoffed. "Sez who?"

"Kori, try talking some sense into your boyfriend, will you!"

Starfire flushed, so did Robin.

To her credit, Starfire had the presence of mind to make a suggestion. "Dorothy Parker's version of love, I believe, would be more to Richard's taste."

"We'll see," he muttered.

Babs found the text and frowned when she read it. She rolled her eyes, giving the book for Robin to read.

Clearing his throat, Robin read.

_"Into love and out again,_

_Thus I went and thus I go._

_Spare your voice, and hold your pen:_

_Well and bitterly I know_

_All the songs were ever sung,_

_All the words were ever said;_

_Could it be, when I was young,_

_Someone dropped me on my head?"_

Starfire giggled and Robin grinned. "Now that's a love poem."

Babs pretended to be moved. "Ah, to be young and cynical!" Her acting face thereafter fell. "Dick, you're a hopeless _un-_romantic."

"Just because I like this poem doesn't mean I'm not romantic. It just means Kori and I have the same taste in poems, right Kori?"

Starfire smiled. "Well, more or less."

A soft ringing tone played in the background and before Robin could decipher which song it was, Babs had fished out a cellular phone from her small purse and answered it.

"What's up Uncle Gordy?" She rose from the table and walked off to the distant side of the room.

Robin idly flipped through the pages of the book in his hand. "I hope Bruce gets back here soon. I guess I could deal with the Commish and the Chief, but I could only keep up the college preppy act for so long. The Commish is going to want frat stories and unless Bruce shows up midway, I'll run out tonight."

"Perhaps I could help you entertain them. I am sure they will be asking me about Robin. Babs told me Commissioner Gordon and Chief O'Hara have been asking about you."

He grinned. "I could use the help. Er, think we could leave Larry out of it, though? I'm afraid that's a bit too entertaining."

Starfire laughed, softly. "It is not as if I could describe Larry. He is... too strange to make sense of."

Robin nodded, his thoughts drifting to memories of his weird alter-ego.

Babs was still on the phone with her uncle when the door to the library opened. A beautiful woman with luscious raven-black hair and arresting blue eyes walked in. Her shimmering cocktail dress of black hugged her awesome curves. Her eyes swept the room for a heartbeat, first falling on Robin, and then resting on Starfire.

Robin couldn't help but gape at the woman; half-admiring, half-fearing her; her presence was utterly intimidating. Babs had forgotten that she was on the phone with her uncle and snapped it shut, staring slack-jawed at the new comer.

Alfred promptly came up from behind the woman and stood to her side. The woman pulled her eyes from Starfire and said something to Alfred after which he bowed and left the room.

"There is a woman in the room who has excellent taste in perfume," whispered Starfire, nose tilted.

Robin didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do either when the woman began to approach him. He rose cautiously, eyeing her warily. She looked like she was going to punch him, but would look very sexy doing so.

The faintest hint of a smile passed the woman's lip. "Finally, I meet Dick Grayson, Batman's trusted sidekick." She stuck her hand out. "My name is Diana."

_Holy sh–this is Wonder Woman. _He took her hand in a shake and had to grit his teeth to keep from crying out. _Cripes, what a grip! I'm going to be feeling the effects of that in the morning! _Thankfully, he was able to blurt out a coherent reply. "It's an honor to meet you, Diana." He figured that he didn't have to explain that he had ceased to be Batman's sidekick, even if he was itching to say so. He gestured to Starfire instead. "This is Koriand'r."

Starfire rose, perhaps feeling the commanding aura that Diana exuded.

Again, the faint smile. "Of course I know Starfire." She took Starfire's hand gently to shake it. "Kin spirit?"

Starfire looked mildly startled. "I am?"

Diana gave a restrained shrug. "Maybe."

Babs appeared beside them, obviously star struck. "Di–_ma'am, _it's _such an honor _to meet you. I'm–" she sought a word that she apparently couldn't find. "Speechless."

Robin couldn't believe cool and confident Barbara Gordon was spazzing-out, but she looked so endearing doing it that Diana actually smiled.

"A pleasure to meet you, Speechless."

"What? No! I mean–my name's Barbara Gordon, but you could call me Babs..."

Perhaps realizing that Babs was too awed to do anything, Diana initiated the handshake. Babs shook her hand enthusiastically. Robin thought Babs would get on her knees and start kissing Diana's feet.

With introductions done, Diana gave her full-attention to Robin. "I was supposed to come here with Bruce."

_His date! _thought Robin. _Nice. Girlfriend? Maybe not yet... he wouldn't be babbling about his "women as a distraction" if he was involved with someone, let alone someone like Diana. Maybe Bruce is in denial, and he's trying to project his denial on me. _Robin indulged himself to a vision of Bruce lying on a couch while he, Robin, sat cross-legged on a nearby chair making notes and holding up a flashcard. _"Tell me, Batman," _he imagined himself saying. _"What do you see on this inkblot?" _

Diana continued amidst Robin's mental parody. "... but he called to tell me that I should head on ahead because you might need help in entertaining the commissioner and the chief. I was happy to oblige, of course. Besides, I wanted to meet Robin and Starfire more intimately."

Robin suddenly felt like he had walked into an exam he wasn't ready for.

Babs eagerly ushered their group to some lounge chairs where Diana subjected Starfire and Robin to surprisingly easy conversation. Diana was very much interested in their work at Jump City and she asked several questions about Starfire's powers. Diana also liked asking questions about Bruce, the way Robin knew him, and found great amusement when Robin busted out some of Bruce's more choice secrets.

"The guy could sing, I'll tell you that," said Robin. This tidbit, in particular, elicited an unmistakable sparkle in Diana's eyes.

Diana also addressed Babs occasionally, but Robin could tell Diana was just being polite, although Babs didn't seem to mind. Batgirl seemed content at the mere fact that she was in the presence of Wonder Woman.

Robin assessed Diana. The woman didn't laugh much, and she was stingy with her smiles, but she had extraordinary grace, the way a queen would be at ease in a room full of subjects. They felt they had to respect her, but she didn't impose her rank upon them, rather they knew their place and she most definitely knew hers. Upon further observation, Robin could tell she treated Starfire differently than she treated him and Babs. With Starfire, Diana was still commanding, but on a level Robin found odd.

_Student-teacher?_thought Robin, slightly confused. It didn't make any sense, but it was there. He remembered some tales about Wonder Woman; about how she was some kind of Amazon leader. That would explain the commanding presence, but he hoped she wasn't going to recruit Starfire to her tribe.

Robin frowned slightly. _That would be most un-cool. _What if Starfire came out of Amazon Boot Camp hating men? That would certainly put him in an awkward position with her. Of course, several self-proclaimed experts said Amazon Women weren't about hating men; they just...

_...have no use for us, _thought Robin

"And how is your analysis of me going, Richard?" asked Diana all of a sudden. She didn't look annoyed; in fact, she looked somewhat amused, but Robin was not above blushing painfully at the comment.

Had he been that obvious? "S-Sorry. Force of habit..." he said lamely. As much as he wanted to deny it, he felt that lying to this woman would be somewhat of a mistake.

Again, a whisper of a smile crinkled her lips. "No need to apologize. You weren't obvious. I just knew you were doing it because Bruce does that sort of thing all the time. I'd expect his protégé to apply the same tricks."

Robin figured it was only natural for Bruce's women to keep comparing him to Bruce, but he didn't have to like it.

Starfire grinned, placing a hand on Robin's shoulder. "Richard applies those tricks quite well, then. He leads our team with great competence. I could only assume Bruce is as fitting for his role as the unofficial leader of the Justice League."

Robin noticed Diana subtly eyeing the physical contact with measured criticism before replying. "He does his job excellently, for a man." She combined her tiny smile with a raise of an eyebrow.

Babs and Starfire chuckled. Robin was, however, feeling particularly left out of the joke.

Babs' cellular phone gave a beep and reading the text message quickly, Babs said that her uncle was close to arriving.

"Then we should be at the cocktail lounge when he gets here," said Diana, rising from her seat. They followed her without protest. Before they stepped out of the library, Diana turned and looked Robin over. After a few seconds, she nodded. "Nice suit. I hope you didn't give Alfred a very hard time."

Robin colored but replied. "No ma'am."

"Good. I'm sure Bruce will be proud to see you in wool herringbone."

Whatever _wool herringbone _was, Robin was just glad _she_ approved.

* * *

Fifteen minutes from the time they walked into the cocktail lounge, the commissioner arrived; and later still, Chief O'Hara and his date who was a sweet little lady, a bit on the plump side and almost painfully shy. Diana made the proper excuses for Bruce's being late and she was so captivatingly gorgeous that Robin could tell that none of the guests minded. After all, their main purpose for showing up was for Dick Grayson _and_ the other celebrity, Miss Koriand'r, better known as Starfire. It helped too that they thought the cheese, caviar and wine were excellent. Robin was just glad they liked fish-eggs better than he did; that meant more "edible" hors d'oeuvres for him. Luckily, nobody noticed him scarf down the ham and cheese rolls positioned at the far end of the buffet table. 

Gradually, the conversation moved on to Robin, the Boy Wonder. Starfire handled the subject with flawless ease and Babs was having a terrific time pretending to be a "big fan".

Robin noticed that they were tiptoeing around Starfire's accident, but that was expected. Besides, he didn't mind if Starfire didn't.

When Bruce showed up, Robin was greatly relieved. He still had to stand around talking with the commissioner, Babs, the chief and his quiet date, but at least he didn't have to tell anymore frat stories. Nearby, he could hear Diana and Starfire talking and he couldn't help but eavesdrop. Their voices were low, but by completely tuning everything out Robin found that he could focus on their conversation.

"So, Starfire," said Diana. "Just out of curiosity, did you train with the Warlords of Okaara?"

Starfire was silent for a moment before she replied. "Yes, I did. My father sent me."

"Naturally. Did you like it there?"

"It was difficult..."

"I wouldn't expect less from the warlords. But you know what they say: If you thought Okaara was easy, then they probably didn't think you worth training."

"You... know a lot about Okaara?"

Diana took her time in answering. "My tribal rank requires me to know such things. Tamaranians are a peaceful race, yes? But you all have warrior-blood, one way or another. Warrior races have to understand other warrior races, threat or not."

The silence of Starfire was pensive. "What else do you know about Okaara?" She had asked it so softly that Robin almost didn't catch it.

"I know that only a particular kind of... _people_ are sent there for training, at least as far as Tamaranians go."

At that point, Robin couldn't hear anymore. It was as if Starfire had lowered the volume of her voice considerably. He hazarded a look and found that they both had their backs turned. It bugged him that Starfire was keeping secrets from him.

"Isn't that right, Dick?"

Babs jabbed him painfully with her elbow and Robin stifled a yelp of pain. He realized then that Bruce had addressed him and he automatically responded with a nod and an, "Absolutely."

Bruce merely arched an eyebrow at him. When the ham and cheese rolls were replenished, Robin lost no time in withdrawing from the group to have first dibs on the fresh plate. The others gravitated to Starfire and Diana. Seeing that Bruce hadn't joined them, Robin took the opportunity to have a private talk with him.

Apple juice in hand, he came up beside Bruce who was swirling the wine in his glass absently. Both of them watched the small group across the room.

"Did you say hello to Mr. Freeze for me?" Robin asked in a low tone.

If Bruce was surprised by the question, he didn't show it. "I didn't see him."

"Starfire told me all about you and the Arkham Asylum. Trident talk yet?"

Bruce took a sip of his wine. "Nope."

Robin bristled at that. "I ought to go on over there and beat the crud out of him. Or maybe bang on the aquarium. I know that drives fish crazy... make him wish he was caviar on brie and crackers..."

"I thought about that already, but then I kept remembering Kori telling me why I shouldn't do that. Her lecture on equal-opportunity dignity made me feel like a world class asshole. Now I don't know if I could still beat information out of super-villains. Your girlfriend's a menace."

Robin sighed miserably. "She's not my girlfriend."

"Better that way."

"I didn't ask your opinion on it, Bruce. Wait a minute... she got to you?"

Bruce arched an eyebrow in mild uncertainty. "Well, I wouldn't say she _got to me. _She just... made me see things differently."

Robin shook his head in disbelief. "I couldn't believe she got to you. Nearly nine years, Bruce. Nine years I've known you and I've never–and she has a private talk with your for–what, forty five minutes?"

"Give it up, kid. The girl's a natural at getting under people's skin. I mean, look at her. Babs and Diana have claimed her as their own. They're not the easiest of women to please. Babs dumped you–"

"I just don't get no respect around here."

"And don't even get me started on Diana."

"She dumped you too?"

"Dick, you know me better than that. Why would I set myself up to be dumped unless I wanted to be dumped? And I certainly wouldn't want to be dumped by Diana. I dis her and I dis her entire Amazon tribe. I like my balls where they are, thank you very much, so I'd rather not risk it."

"Coward."

"Only when it comes to Diana."

Robin realized at that moment that he was one to talk about taking risks in relationships. Hoping to mask his lapse, he hastened to turn the subject back. "So, what _were_ you doing in Arkham if you weren't making marinara out of Trident?"

"My favorite part of this crime-fighting business: untangling red tape. Some gung-ho shrink declared Trident _sane; _said he didn't belong in Arkham. If the good doctor Meridian hadn't told me about it, I'd probably be chasing down Trident as we speak, no doubt having escaped in transport between Arkham and the Gotham City Prison."

"So is he staying in Arkham?"

"Yep."

"Is the check in the mail?"

"Practically."

Robin scoffed. Arkham always welcomed donations. "So what are we going to do about Trident?"

"Chase said she'd handle it."

Robin arched an eyebrow.

Bruce cocked a grin. "I could honestly say that I didn't have anything to do with _that._ Chase volunteered. No doubt, she's doing it for the love of Kori, but I didn't ask Chase how she was going to do it. Truth be told, I didn't want to know. I think Trident would have gotten it easier from us. In a way, I pity him..."

"Yeah..."

There was a brief moment of silence then they shook their heads in unison.

"Nah."

They clinked their glasses together and drank to red-heads.

* * *

The get-together ended early enough on account of the fact that the guests weren't exactly party animals. Babs left with Commissioner Gordon, Chief O'Hara and his date. Diana, having stayed long enough to see off the other guests, declared that she had things to do at the Watchtower. 

"It was a fascinating evening," she said, giving Robin a pointed stare and placing a gentle hand on Starfire's arm.

Before Robin or Starfire could say anything, Diana had turned to go. She spared Bruce a glance before she went with Alfred to go to her transport in the garage.

When Robin was sure Diana was out of earshot, he leaned over to Bruce and softly said, "What? No kiss?"

"You're whispering. Coward."

"Only when it comes to Diana. Ow..."

Starfire had pinched him on the arm to chastise him. "Richard, have some respect."

He rolled his eyes at Bruce. "You see? I just don't get that around here. I blame you, Bruce. You're the mother in my Freudian psyche."

Bruce groaned. "I've had enough of shrinks tonight, so shut up with the psycho-babble. I'll be in the study. If you need anything, go see Alfred." He left.

Robin would have stuck his tongue out at him. "Grouch."

Starfire giggled. "Oh, he is just tired, Richard. He worked all day and then he had to attend to this party, not to mention his Arkham visit..."

He patted her hand, leading her up the stairs to the rooms. "He told me about what he did there. You don't have to worry." He told Starfire all he had gathered from Bruce regarding Arkham but tried to broach the subject of Dr. Meridian cautiously. As expected, Starfire frowned a bit at what he told her and Robin hastened to assuage her. "I admit that she could be... vicious when she wants to be, but we know how she works. She wouldn't do anything Trident wouldn't be willing to subject himself to. I guess you could say she has extraordinary powers of persuasion."

"Truly?"

"Truly."

She smiled, leaning on him.

He remembered the conversation he overheard; the one Starfire had with Diana, and he tried to think of a way to broach it without giving himself away. She hadn't kept the fact that she had been sent by her father to the Warlords of Okaara, but until now, he'd only given it passing thought. What did it mean to be sent there? Diana apparently thought it meant something significant. He could do research, but he wanted Starfire to tell him so that he wouldn't feel like he was violating her privacy.

He couldn't understand why these things nagged at him.

"Robin?"

His thoughts were interrupted. "Yeah?"

"You know, I am... very glad to be here. Not just because it gives me hope but because I am around the people who shaped you. Alfred, Babs... even the Commissioner and the Chief. And then of course there's Bruce, who is most like a father to you."

Robin had an itch to protest but kept still, knowing that it would be stupid to deny it. While he didn't exactly have a Hallmark Greeting Card relationship with Bruce, in a lot of ways–_real ways–_it _was_ like father and son.

"Even if you act like you don't like him very much, I know you respect him. He does come across as cold and detached at times, but he couldn't be that bad if he raised someone like you."

Maybe she was giving Bruce too much credit, or maybe she was giving _him_ too much credit. Either way, it was embarrassing to be thought so well of. "He pushes everyone away. I couldn't stand that with him. Maybe because compared to him, I'm more touchy feely..." _which isn't saying much, either, _he added dourly in thought.

Starfire shrugged. "Maybe he's more afraid of getting hurt than you are. Maybe it is even more than that."

"Man's got issues, that's for sure."

"Well then it just goes to show that Bruce cares more than he is willing to admit."

Robin laughed, mildly sardonic. "You'd think of it that way."

"Oh, maybe I _am_ too optimistic for my own good..." she conceded lightly. "Perhaps I am putting too much into how he bought you that motored cycle, and how he proffered that small amount of funds for our trip, and how he's helping me find my sight back because _you asked him to. _Although I must say that it was a bit much that he requested the Justice League's help in catching Trident. That must have cost him a lot of favors..."

Robin frowned. Starfire was making too much sense of something he had been trying to make sense of for years.

"Of course," she continued. "Some people prefer greeting cards to convey their love, but I suppose that wouldn't suffice for someone like Bruce Wayne. Most greeting cards have–what do you call it? Sappy? Yes, sappy messages. And Bruce Wayne is _not_ sappy at all."

There it was again: Stafire getting under his skin. Bruce was right, she _was_ a natural; a menace to the suppression of good will and optimism. He loved her for such things, of course, but how to tell her?

He supposed he could just lean over and kiss her. It would certainly explain things better the way his words never could. Of course, a kiss without due warning could earn him a slap on the face, and that would pretty much be the end of it.

Robin wished, for one second, that he could be as suave and dashing as Bruce then maybe all this would be easier. He was so deep in his thoughts that he barely noticed their arrival in front of Starfire's door. They might have missed it if he hadn't looked up just then.

"Are we at my door?"

He sighed. "Yeah."

She nodded. She rubbed her palm gently against the sleeve of Robin's suit and she laughed softly. "This is what they call _wool herringbone."_

"Whatever _that_ means."

"I wish I could see you in it, Richard."

He smiled wanly but became mildly surprised when she stepped closer. Her fingers touched gently upon his face again, but this time, instead of feeling uncomfortable about it, he let her.

Her eyes were focused on nothing in particular and he waited for her to finish her inspection. He was momentarily unnerved when her fingers glided softly on his lips. It tingled like mad and he prayed she would _stop_ or else she would be in dire danger of getting kissed by a dweeb.

He was, therefore, utterly shocked when she tilted her chin and pressed her lips on his. His eyes widened and practically crossed trying to look at her. He had _not_ seen this coming.

His first thought, of course, was that he had somehow died, between climbing the stairs and reaching the chamber halls, and had promptly gone to heaven, or wherever the heck souls were supposed to go to when they were good. His second thought was that he _hadn't_ died; that it was real, and that he wanted to put his arms around her, pull her closer and definitely make the kiss _much _more interesting.

He was about to do just that, his eyes drifting close to savor the kiss when the contact was abruptly cut off. He practically stumbled forward trying to get the sensation back and his eyes were jolted open. She had stepped back. She flushed everywhere her dress wasn't covering her skin and hastily turned to get through her door. For someone who couldn't see where she was going, she was too damn fast for his mostly stunned brain, even if she _had_ collided against the closed door at least once.

The banging of her door woke him from his stupor and only then did he realize that he could have done something better than _stare_ like an idiot.

He had a wild urge to bang on her door and–_what? Ask for more?_

Besides, she was running into walls trying to get away from him. What did that mean? He had to know.

He stepped towards the door, raised a fist to knock but heard another door bang from inside. He gritted his teeth and rapped lightly. No answer.

He rapped a bit less lightly, and still no reply came.

Robin lost his resolve. She may have gone into the bathroom, or maybe not. Either way, it meant she wasn't in the mood to talk.

He willed himself not to think about it and he stepped back; one step, two steps...

_Walk away, Dick. Tomorrow. Ask her tomorrow. You'll live. There's tomorrow._

It was like a mantra, and each time he thought it, he felt his step lighten until he was practically floating into his bedroom.

Thoroughly stoked, he could've laughed like a madman. He took off his coat and tossed it on the rack. It draped perfectly on a hook.

"Wool Herringbone rules," he told the coat rack, grinning. How could he possibly fall asleep in this state?

He pressed the power button of the laptop on his desk and waited, fingers drumming to the beat in his head. He accessed his Dick Grayson email which was "rjgrayson" in the Wayne email provider. There was a ton of email, mostly from people he didn't know, but there was one he recognized and eagerly clicked on. Theoluvs7of9 had a PDF attachment for him, which was about as much as Robin expected.

Robin was just about to download it when his MSN Messenger rang like a doorbell. It was Theodore's IBreak4Borg account. Robin opened a window for him and was surprised to see another window pop up. The guy had a webcam. Shrugging, Robin activated one of his own.

"Well lookee here!" said Theodore, grinning. He was smoking something, and whatever it was, it was making him very happy. Another face peeped out from behind him and waved. It was Alberta, of course.

Robin grinned back. "You guys still at the lab?"

Theodore shook his head. "Dude, we're at Albie's place. I'm standing in for her with one of her cyber-flings. She accidentally made dates with two guys at the same time."

Robin laughed. "Are you sure it's a guy?"

"No, but I'm having fun and _he's_ buying dinner, so it's all good. I wonder if this means I'll have to–you know–put out later."

_"Don't_ put out!" cried Alberta in the background. "I never sleep with a guy on a first date!"

Theodore scoffed. "Women."

On this night, Robin had no complaints about them. "I'll leave the decision of Albie's virtue to you, Theo. I got your PDF file."

"Awesome! You read it yet? Man... I want me some White Castle... _serious munchies._"

Robin arched an eyebrow. "I'm downloading your PDF as we speak."

"It's excellent stuff."

Robin wasn't sure if he was talking about the PDF or the weed he was inhaling.

Theodore popped a potato-chip in his mouth. "We worked on it like crazy this afternoon, but it was well worth it. Star Trek-worthy shit right there! Eh? Yo Albie, what do you make of this? The guy told me to 'tough his sock'!"

"Tell him he's a sock-ducker and he should go crew himself."

"Okay!"

Robin winced. However entertaining Theodore could be, high, he had better things to do. He opened a window to Alberta's Ubersonderlingdame account. He gave his goodbyes to her and to Theodore, telling them he'd contact them if he had any questions about the research.

They signed off.

Robin opened the PDF file and read a bit as he hit print. The report was professionally done, with headings, sub-headings and pictures. He should have expected that from them, but it was still amazing.

He found a picture of a Plasmus-sample under a microscope set beside a picture of what looked like a...

Robin squinted. _Microchip?_

No, it wasn't a microchip. The high-speed printer nearby was just about done and he collected the finished pages. He flipped through it and found the same pictures juxtaposed on paper. He read the passages and ran his reading eyes quickly over other parts of the text.

His frown slowly formed into a smile and finally, he couldn't help it. He threw his head back and laughed, tilting his chair back too far and crashing to the floor.

But he didn't care. Theodore and Alberta were _brilliant!_ He _knew_ they could do it. He just _knew it!_

This was turning out to be one of the best days of his life.

He could hardly wait until the next day. He kicked off his shoes and jumped on the bed, loosening his tie as he started reading the text from page one.

To be continued...

* * *

Closing notes: Poem titles are (respectively) "Leonore" by Edgar Allan Poe, "I Love Thee" by Eliza Acton and "Theory" by Dorothy Parker. I also got the idea of a singing Bruce from the _Justice League_ episode entitled _To the Man Who Has Everything_. The guy sang really well; dreamy as hell. Made me want to throw my drawers on-stage. 

Robin's particular dismay for designer clothing, stuffy suits and caviar might seem unlikely, considering a lot of his developmental years were lived with Bruce and the extravagant lifestyle that went with it, but we have to remember that Robin was taken in when he was 9 years old, under the harshest of circumstances. He would have already had a personality base of his own (we usually don't give 9 year olds the credit they deserve) and I figured he would have _clung_ to the kind of life he would have lived with his parents just because he lost them so traumatically.

Theodore is me. I mean, I'm female, and I'm no chemical biologist, but that's who I'd be if I were a guy. Theodore is the kind of name my mother would give me if I had been a boy. I've also stood in on a cyber-date for my friend, but she didn't let me stand in for long. My friend said I was acting like a lunatic, and she didn't want to have that kind of reputation in the internet.

I'm also very glad that I didn't get any hate-reviews for Babs. Haha! I was afraid for her, but I need her around, especially in the later stories.


	13. Of Nerds and Sweethearts

Author's Notes: Here we are, in the luckiest chapter. ::strokes black cat and walks under a ladder::

Standard disclaimers apply.

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.**

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Thirteen – Of Nerds and Sweethearts**

It was too early in the morning for Robin to get up, but there was no way Robin was going to stay in bed with so many things zipping through his mind.

He had stayed up the night before, trying to make sense of scientific reports and his so-called life; he found answers to neither.

After reading through Theodore and Alberta's report, he tried, once again, to have a decent conversation with them, but both were too stoned and too busy getting rid of their munchies to be helpful. Robin would have to see them again in their natural environment, a.k.a. their laboratory.

Giving up on them for the night, Robin went to the Bat Cave and contacted Cyborg. He sent Cyborg the PDF file through a secure network and after reading it, Cyborg was just as amazed as Robin was.

"Whoa," said Cyborg through the video connection, his red eye flashing. "This nano-tech's _seriously Star Trek. _Makes Slade's nanoprobes look like kid's stuff."

Robin nodded. "The things these little suckers could do if they got into the hands of the wrong people–"

"Shees. I don't even want to _think_ about that. But... are you sure the guys who did the research for you are credible? I mean, I've never heard of _X-Science Newsletters_ and from what little I've gathered, it's a weird magazine that specializes in conspiracy theories..."

Robin grinned. "Theodore and Alberta are kooky, but they're brilliant. Besides, the nano-robots are _right there. _They exist, conspiracy or not."

"Heck, maybe they'll make a believer out of me. Who knows?"

"Who knows, indeed? Listen, I've got something for you to look up. See what you could find out about William N. Escher. He's a chemist; popularly published in _Focus Science Magazine_; and as you know, _not so_ popularly published in _X-Science Newsletter._ Anyway, there's enough information in the report's bibliography to tell you where to start looking. Find out what he does when he's _not _publishing. Know what I mean?"

"Word. I'll get Raven and Beast Boy to help. Have you told Starfire about this yet?"

Robin couldn't help but blush. "I haven't, but I will... She's in her room, I–I don't want to disturb her."

"How she doing out there? She met Babs yet?"

_Didn't take him long to ask, did it? _thought Robin wryly. He decided to play dumb. "Starfire's fine and she _has_ met Babs. Is there reason for me to be concerned about that?"

"I don't know. Is there?"

"Well, what do you think?"

"Damn, are you romantically-challenged, or something? For someone who's got some pretty fast and fancy kung fu moves, you could be so sickeningly slow at times."

That was certainly something Robin couldn't deny. He didn't feel like discussing his love-life with Cyborg, so he continued to pretend that he didn't know what Cyborg was talking about until Cyborg gave up. It wasn't as if Robin thought he had much to tell, anyway.

While Starfire's kiss was a landmark event in his life, his failure to follow through was disappointing, not to mention embarrassing; add that to Starfire running away like she couldn't leave fast enough and it was, overall, very confusing.

When he had finished his communications with Cyborg, he went back to his room and settled into bed. He flicked on the television, watched some MTV and fell asleep to the soothing hydraulics of _Pimp My Ride._

It was _Road Rules X-TREME_ that shook him out of sleep early the next day. Some lady was crying; saying that she felt like she wasn't being respected by the other members of the group. The guy who was comforting her "felt bad" for her, but if she was going to "be like that" she could be a "liability". Robin felt around for the remote, hoping to stop the whining and go back to sleep when he remembered the events of the previous night. He was up and about in two minutes, getting his clothes for the day ready and showering quickly. He was out of his room in twenty minutes, taking the acrobatic way to the lower levels.

He stopped for a heartbeat at the threshold of the dining room. Starfire was there, but she wasn't alone. Dr. Meridian sat beside her and they were discussing something in hushed tones.

Robin would have stood there, just watching Starfire while he figured out exactly what he should say when Dr. Meridian looked up.

"Good morning, Richard."

Starfire made a slight movement with her head, but she did not lift her blank gaze from the table.

Awkwardly, Robin made his reply. He was just about to take the seat across from them when Starfire greeted him as well, but with a softer voice.

Robin was slightly troubled. She shouldn't have to be this weird around him, but then again, her reaction last night wasn't exactly how he imagined his first kiss with Starfire would be.

He wanted to pull her aside to talk to her, yet he didn't. What if she told him it had been a mistake? That she shouldn't have done it? She certainly hadn't looked too thrilled about it last night.

"You are early today," said Starfire.

_At least she's talking to me,_ he thought somewhat hopefully. "Oh, you know, things to do... so–er, another day in the labs?"

Dr. Meridian made the reply. "Yes, and I'd imagine it will take three or four days more before all tests are completed."

This surprised Robin. "That's a lot of days."

"The scientists have allowed Starfire a day off tomorrow, which is only right. She couldn't go at it for five days straight, even if she _is_ Tamaranian. But it couldn't be helped that the tests are extensive," explained Dr. Meridian. "Starfire would even be subjected to a few psychological exams, if only to rule out psychosomatic disorder."

Robin frowned. The only "disorder" Starfire had was being too nice, but he understood to an extent that it fell under standard procedure. He wondered if Dr. Meridian would be conducting the exam.

Alfred attended to their breakfast and not long after they told Alfred what they preferred, their food was placed in front of them.

With Dr. Meridian at the breakfast table, the atmosphere was bearable enough, even if the conversation bored him out of his mind. Dr. Meridian's focus on the paradigms and theories of psychology were incomprehensible and hypnotic enough for Robin to necessarily shake himself out of a daze at least twice, but he was too polite to say anything untoward, and he had to nod several times just so Dr. Meridian got the impression that he was listening.

"Organism is slowly being replaced by mechanism in postmodern science, as we know it. Descartes and his metaphysics find themselves gradually being integrated, if not wholly overwhelmed by the theories of Whitehead. But I am glad to say that the predominant paradigm of Western culture that is cognitivism remains true to its implicitly Cartesian perspectives. However, many consider this limiting–or rather, restrictive, in exploring what we consider consciousness..."

She moved on to Behavioral Analysis and then Neuroscience somewhere between the omelet and hash-browns. Robin figured that listening to her psycho-babble was equivalent to a temporary lobotomy, or was it catatonia?

Robin observed Starfire briefly. She turned occasionally in the general direction of Dr. Meridian and nodded, the way Robin did, but he could tell she was tuning out every time she raked her fork over her scrambled eggs.

Suddenly, Dr. Meridian stopped talking and began to rummage in her purse. Robin's brain became alert again and he looked up. Dr. Meridian fished out a cellular phone that buzzed and vibrated as she peered at the ID flashing on its tiny screen. She looked up at them. "Excuse me, I have to take this. I'll only be a minute." Dr. Meridian pushed a button on her phone and stood up from the table, hurrying to the corner of the room.

Robin wasted no time. "Kori," he said in a soft tone. He didn't want Dr. Meridian to overhear. "You alright?"

She tensed visibly, mauling her hash-browns. "I-I am fine."

"Are you sure? You seem kinda tense."

"I am fine, Richard."

Robin leaned over the edge of the table worriedly. "You're–You're not mad at me, are you? Did I do something...?"

Her brows knotted for a split heartbeat. "No... no you did not..."

The misery in her tone began to make him feel uneasy. He looked at Dr. Meridian and made sure that she showed no signs of returning to the table anytime in the next ten seconds. "Because... because if this is about last night–"

"No! I mean–that is–I do not wish to discuss that!"

Robin felt like he had been slapped in the face. He blinked, absorbing her words. Was it as bad as it sounded? Did she just want to forget what happened last night? He tried to say something; tried to regroup. He was well trained, after all, in dealing with the worse situations and adjusting them to his advantage. But his mind failed, as was so often the case with the most brilliant of people when the heart was involved.

He swallowed, found his voice and came up with the only response that was forthcoming: "W-What?"

The furrowing of Starfire's brows deepened. "I... I do not wish to discuss it. At least... not here..."

Robin found some relief in her words. He let out a breath, trying to settle his emotions that were bouncing from one thought to the next. "Later then."

She flushed deeply, fidgeting. Her body language suggested that she wanted to do anything _but _talk about it later, though she replied, her voice little more than a whisper. "Okay."

It was at this time that Dr. Meridian rejoined them for breakfast. "Now, where were we? Oh yes; neurotransmitters. Neurons exchange information with each other through the movement of chemicals in what we call the synapse, so..."

Robin let the good doctor drone on uninterrupted as he watched Starfire. He wondered if she was listening to Dr. Meridian anymore than he was.

When breakfast was over, Robin said he would be going with them to the labs. Starfire showed no reaction. He was, however, glad to note that Starfire wasn't treating him the way she did in the pizza place, so it meant she wasn't angry. She let him lead her when he took her hand to place over his arm and she thanked him shyly when he helped her into the car.

Dr. Meridian didn't seem to notice anything amiss because she continued to talk as she settled herself in the driver's seat and buckled herself in.

Robin glanced furtively to the backseat of the Lexus and saw Starfire fidgeting nervously with her fingers, though her blank gaze looked straight ahead. He tried to push his own nervousness away, telling himself that he didn't have to deal with their issues until later; when they could be alone. He then set his mind to thinking about his crime-fighting responsibilities.

He slid his hand into his coat pocket and felt for his T-Comm. If he wanted to contact Cyborg, he had to do it immediately. The Wayne Enterprises building offered very little privacy and it meant he had to wait until he got back to the house before he could talk to Cyborg. He couldn't afford to waste that much time. When Dr. Meridian took a break from her lecturing, Robin took the opportunity. He brought out the T-Comm and made the call.

"What's up, Champ?" asked Cyborg.

"I'm on my way to the Wayne laboratories with Dr. Meridian and Starfire," he began by way of telling Cyborg not to say anything embarrassing. "So I don't have much time to talk."

"I'm listening."

"Starfire and I are looking at another four days stay here, so I need you to send over some things, just so I could start working on them. Go to my room and get the surveillance tapes from the prison. There are also a stack of files on my desk. They're neatly arranged so you couldn't miss it. Send them over via Chen Express. Contact them through the super computer using this account." Robin gave Cyborg the account number and code.

"Never heard of Chen Express."

"That's why it's secure. They'll come by themselves. Make sure the package is ready by then."

"Alright. That it?"

"Yep."

"Star there?"

"Er–" Robin swallowed, hoping Cyborg wouldn't say anything particularly mortifying. "Yeah."

"Hi Star!"

Robin stifled his sigh of relief.

She smiled. "Hello, Cyborg."

"Beast Boy and Raven's been asking about you."

"Raven's asking? Really?"

"Well, not in so many words. You know how she is."

Starfire chuckled. "Yes."

"Been kinda quiet here without you, so hurry on back over here, alright?"

Starfire grinned. "I will try."

Robin frowned. "What am I, chopped bat? Why isn't anybody asking about me?"

Cyborg made a sound, like he was thinking. "Well... you okay?"

"Yeah..."

"Good. There, I've asked. You happy now?"

Robin rolled his eyes. "Thrilled."

"Fantastic. Now, if you'll excuse me, my Fearless Leader ordered me to do a bunch of things, so I have to get to it, or else I won't get it done on time. Savvy?"

"Aye, matey. Signing off." Robin clicked off the communicator.

Dr. Meridian chuckled. "I've studied individual villains and super heroes for most of my career, but I've never looked into the behavioral patterns of heroes as a group. Your interactions are strangely... _mundane."_

_Strangely mundane?_Robin arched an eyebrow. "Oxymoron. Or maybe a paradox."

"More paradox than oxymoron," said Starfire softly from the back. "It is a combination of contradictory words, but it is, in essence, more appropriate than its seemingly incongruous qualities. People expect us to be extraordinary in everything we do, and that is what they would consider _un-_strange. What is strange to them is that we do and say things any ordinary person would..."

Robin cocked a smile, glad that she was easing up. He could probably thank Cyborg for it.

Dr. Meridian grinned. "Ah, to have students like you in my psychology class..."

Robin couldn't help but wonder if temporary catatonia could develop into a permanent one due to constant exposure.

When they got to the labs, Robin thought he would drop Starfire off at the Special Studies wing before he made his way to Theodore and Alberta.

Reaching Lab 6-B, Robin turned briefly to Starfire. "I'll see you in the house later, okay?"

She paused for a heartbeat before nodding and letting Dr. Meridian escort her through the doors.

Robin left, forcing himself to focus on the task at hand.

He went straight to Theodore and Alberta's laboratory and saw that they weren't looking as spry as they usually were.

"My head hurts. Don't talk so loud," said Theodore when he saw Robin approaching.

Alberta winced, pressing circles on her temples with her fingers. "Shut up, Theo!"

Robin grinned. "Good morning to you, too."

Alberta pointed an accusing finger at Theodore. "The bad man told me it was candy!"

Theodore glared at her. "Sure, blame it on me; as if I can force you to roll a joint and smoke it."

Robin arched an eyebrow. "Are either of you in any condition to talk nerd shop with me? Because I've got better things to do... actually, I don't, but if I'm going to put up with mindless zombies, I'd watch _Dawn of the Dead."_

Theodore nodded sagely. "Or play _Resident Evil. _At least you get to shoot the undead bastards."

This distracted Robin momentarily. "Oh, hey, _Resident Evil Apocalypse _is coming out soon. Couldn't wait to see–"

"Milla Jovovich in battle-worn combat shorts. Mmm..."

"Well, of course that's a _given,_ but–"

Alberta snorted. "You boys are pathetic. Jeri Ryan... Milla Jovovich... Angelina Jolie... you wouldn't even know these women existed if they didn't play Seven of Nine, Alice and Lara Croft."

Theodore frowned. _"Not _true! I know that Milla Jovovich and Angelina Jolie played very compelling roles in _The Fifth Element_ and _Original Sin,_ respectively..."

_"Barely clothed_ compelling roles... _dis_respectively."

"That's not a word..." said Robin.

"I'm in no mood for smartasses today, Grayson."

"Y-Yes, ma'am. Sorry, ma'am."

"Now, what are you doing here so early in the morning?"

Robin took advantage of the opening. "I read the report."

This made Theodore grin. "Dude, that shit you brought in for study was the most excitement Albie and I have had since Jeopardy Online came out with a new set of questions! You _have_ to bring us more shit like that."

Alberta ignored him, nudging Theodore roughly with her shoulder. "Ya got questions?"

Robin nodded. "Follow-up ones. The report was excellent, but it made me wonder about a few things. You know how I think."

Alberta scoffed. "Yes; when God spread Inquiry amongst his people, thou came forth to haul thy bounty, and there was much rejoicing... ya' greedy brat."

"I'll take _that_ as a compliment, knowing you."

Theodore sighed happily. "Ah...!

_"I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace _

_Where never lark or even eagle flew._

_And, while, with silent lifting mind I've trod _

_The high untresspassed sanctity of space_

_Put out my hand and touched the face of God._

"William–"

"Shakespeare?" interjected Robin.

"No," replied Theodore gravely. "Shatner. But he didn't write it. He only recited it in his audio-recording _William Shatner Live!_ I think the poem was actually written by a guy named John McBride... or was it McGee... Magee? Anyway, who the hell cares when it's Captain Kirk speaking?"

Robin rolled his eyes. "I'll think I'll come by later..."

Alberta scowled. "And have you go through this again? Generally, I wouldn't care, but _I'd_ have to listen to it. No thanks! Now, what are your questions?"

"Speaking of Williams," said Robin, grinning at his own cleverness. Alberta's eye-rolling followed, as expected. "This William Escher guy... did he ever experiment with his nano-droid theories to make a prototype?"

Theodore shook his head. "Nope. I don't think he even tried. Publishing _DNA-Enhance Nano-robots: Theories, Calculations and Sketches_ was pretty much all he had to do with robotics; and he'd written that paper in the seventies."

Robin's eyebrow arched. "But according to your footnote, the article was published in the late nineties."

"That's because _X-Science Newsletter _came out around that time and it was the only magazine willing to acknowledge that the work was _legitimate science _and not _too Star Trek_." Theodore made open and close quotation marks in the air with his fingers. "Of course, _X-Science _hardly considers anything too Star Trek... anyway, Escher spent most of his life excelling in his natural field, which was chemistry. You know he's dead, right? Two, three years back."

Robin sighed. It was just his luck. "Of course, he _has_ to be dead."

"They say he died of natural causes, but I think–"

Alberta sighed, exasperated. "_Please! _No conspiracy theories today! God, you're all driving me nuts! _Next question!"_

Robin hastened to move on before Alberta threw him out. "So there's no way he could have at least facilitated the creation of the DNA-Enhanced nano-bots we found in the sludge?"

Theodore shook his head. "Unless he actually faked his death like Elvis and Tupac."

Alberta looked like she was going to kill Theodore right then.

Seeing the deadly look, Theodore knew he had treaded into dangerous waters and scampered to avert harm. "Of course, there's a chance that he actually _died..._"

Robin thought a distraction would be good, so he continued with his questions. "What's the level of control on these things?"

"Just like any robot," said Alberta. "You could program them to do things; respond to situations; they could be remote controlled... this is _much_ more versatile than a regular nano-robot. The DNA-Enhancements gives it a far more complex system."

"Could they carry substances with them?"

Alberta nodded. "Definitely. And with its pseudo-biological properties, one doesn't even have to bother about delayed releases. You could use bio-matter to contain the substance, and when decomposition takes place, the substance built into it automatically disperses through its host matter, assuming of course that you're using these things to get into tiny places."

Robin grinned foolishly to himself, allowing himself a moment of self-satisfaction. The report had enough information in it to give Robin an idea about how the nanobots were used to set Plasmus free. He could discuss the possibilities with Cyborg, or perhaps even Starfire. The "whys" would come later. He directed his next question at Theodore. "If I wanted to–say, sneak a bunch of these suckers someplace to–I dunno, pull a prank on some gung-ho rival scientists? Maybe contaminate some of their work? How would I do it without getting caught?"

Theodore grinned. "Transporting them is no problem. They couldn't set off alarms and they're compact, so you could hide them in your pocket. They may have a specific containment system... you know, just to keep them dormant until they're ready for use, but it would probably fit in something as small as a pen, or a tube of lipstick, or even a syringe, but the problem is releasing them undetected. Most times, just so you could maximize their use, you have to release them manually instead of having them release themselves. I guess the simplest way is to break their containment system. If the containment system had a remote control mechanism to set them free, that'll do the job."

"And how long could these things last outside before they decompose?"

Alberta and Theodore looked at each other and shrugged.

"Not very long, I'd imagine," said Alberta. "Three... five minutes. They couldn't be very far from the target, unless you got them powered on some steroid-type energy that would allow them to move fast enough to cover a farther distance within a five minute period."

Robin nodded thoughtfully. "Radioactive energy, maybe?"

"Absolutely."

"And how much damage could one cc of these critters make? Assuming they're destructive."

Alberta chuckled. "A lot. The robots themselves could only go so far, but just because their bio-matter has decomposed, doesn't mean some of it didn't survive. A mad-man could use these things to carry disease, and long after the original bio-matter has decomposed, somebody may already be carrying strands of it in their systems. So while the robots couldn't multiply themselves... the bacteria could in the proper environment. One cc of bacteria could blossom into an epidemic of bubonic proportions."

Theodore grinned, nodding vigorously in glee.

Robin whistled. "Makes you wonder what else is out there."

Theodore rubbed his palms together. "It's a veritable mind fu–"

_"Don't_ say that _word_ in front of Grayson!" cried Alberta.

Robin rolled his eyes. "Hello. I'm a big boy now, Albie. I've used that word many times."

"Then shame on you! If I were your momma I'd wash your mouth out with soap every damn time you say it."

Robin couldn't help but blush. Alberta was vicious when she was in a bad mood. "I think I'm done here."

"That's it?" Theodore scoffed. "Your questions were easy. Come back with something more challenging, next time."

Robin chuckled and was already preparing to leave when he remembered something. "Oh yeah... how come I've never heard of this _X-Science Newsletter?_ I mean, I could have figured this out by myself if I had known about the article..."

Alberta laughed. "Because, my dear Grayson, _X-Science _has only twenty three subscribers in the United States and one of them just happened to be Theo."

Robin stared then shook his head in amazement. "Unbelievable."

Alberta nodded. "I know! To think that there are twenty two others out there just as stupid as Theodore."

It made Theodore scowl.

Robin laughed. "Whatever it says about Theo, it's helped me _a lot._ You guys are the best. I couldn't thank you enough. Treat you to dinner in a swanky restaurant?"

Alberta was about to speak when Theodore clamped his hand over her mouth and immediately said, "Court side seats in the next NBA game! The Gotham Knights are playing the LA Lakers! _Please, _I'm begging you to pull some strings. Albie, stop biting me! You want to watch that game as much as I do!"

Alberta tore his hand off and gasped for breath as she cried, "Kobe! Please get him to give me his Jersey!"

Robin chuckled. "He had the LA Lakers sign their souls over to the devil to keep him and you still want his Jersey?"

"I know he's a bloodsucking bastard but he definitely falls in my latest collection: Franchise Athletes and the Penal Code! I want him up on my wall with OJ Simpson and Tanya Harding."

"Tanya Harding doesn't have a jersey... and I don't think she's franchise, exactly..."

"Of course she's franchise. She's got a porn-video, and I have something of hers that's better than a jersey: her tutu."

Robin grinned. "Whatever makes you happy. I'll make a few calls. You'll get the tickets and the jersey in the mail."

"Yes!" cried Theodore and Alberta in unison.

Robin said his goodbyes, turning to leave. On the way out, he considered passing by Lab 6-B to see Starfire, but he changed his mind. As much as he wanted to see her, he should give her time alone, however alone she could be in a room full of scientists. He decided, instead, to pass by the mailroom and see Ceasario.

Along the way, he gave Bruce's secretary a call on his temporary mobile. He told Bruce's secretary about the help Theodore and Alberta gave him. He asked if she could take care of getting the tickets and the jersey.

All Robin got was a laugh and an, "I'll take care of it, don't worry." It was so easy that Robin felt a bit bad that Theodore and Alberta had asked for so little.

Robin met up with Ceasario and shared a cup of espresso. He had little else to do until he got the tapes Cyborg sent, and he wasn't expecting them until the next morning. Besides that, he needed something to distract him until Starfire got back from the labs.

His anxiety for what was to come had already driven him to finish the things he had to do. It was like trying to make time go by faster on the eve of Christmas, only time never did go by fast enough when one was waiting.

By the time Robin got back to the house via train and cab, it was barely past noon; to him, still too early in the day.

88888888888888

Robin collapsed on the viewing room couch, the shades drawn. He had popped in a DVD of _Kill Bill_ and was just waiting for it to play, not that he was really interested.

It was five in the afternoon. He had made use of the training room, swam laps in the pool, helped Alfred in the kitchen (which was somewhat disastrous, especially when he ruined the soufflÃ©s by banging the oven doors), surfed the net and read some literature in the library. It was _still_ too early and he was exhausted, so the movie was a good idea. It would pass the time and he didn't have to do anything.

Mercifully, the movie _did_ occupy his thoughts for the next two hours and Black Mamba was just about getting ready to cut off Sofie Fatale's other arm when the intercom beside the couch gave a quiet buzz, its red light blinking. Robin picked it up, barely removing his eyes from the screen.

"Yeah?"

"Master Richard, I thought maybe you'd like to know... Madame Koriand'r is back from the labs."

Robin forgot _Kill Bill _immediately. He figured Starfire would need some time to relax from a grueling day at the labs so he thought about waiting until the very end of the movie before he even tried looking for her, but his concentration was shot and he fidgeted on the couch. He was just about ready to tear his hair out when he was stunned by the sight of Starfire standing at the door.

He hadn't expected her to come and find him. She had seemed so reluctant to talk to him that morning that he thought he had to corner her. It never crossed his mind that she would take the offensive and corner _him._

_Okay, Richard, this isn't a battle. Shut up with strategy lingo already. _He blurted out the only word he knew at the moment. "Hi."

"Hello Richard," she said, making her way through the viewing room. "Alfred said you were here."

Gathering his wits about him, he stood up and led her to the couch. She thanked him quietly as she sat, settling herself. Robin sat down beside her and noted the slight dampness of her hair. There was a tinge of soap scent mixed with her skin and it distracted him terribly.

He hadn't realized that he had stretched the silence until Starfire fidgeted uncomfortably on her seat. "Y-You must start for I do not know where to begin."

Robin felt a flush come over him. Even if her eyes couldn't see, she was partially turned away, as if to say she couldn't look him in the face. It made him nervous. He remembered the past, particularly when he was still Batman's sidekick, how uncomfortable he got trying to come to terms with the advances of women who were more interested in being with the superhero than the person behind the mask. He hadn't been particularly flattered. Panic was what he usually felt, and then amazement; because he was _much more_ _a kid _then, and they were always _much_ older. They were also strangers, and even if the whole of Gotham knew Robin, the Boy Wonder, he was as much of a stranger to them as they were to him; how could they–_do that?_ Of course, he later realized that people didn't need to know someone completely to want intimate relations with them, but by the time he had begun to accept such things (and perhaps allowed himself to get a bit touchy with one or two of them) he left Gotham and went to Jump City to lead the Titans.

The point being, the look on Starfire's face now was probably the look on his face when he told those women, "But... I _don't even know you!"_ He was beginning to feel sick, and he suddenly found himself considering whether this was a mistake. He couldn't even hold Starfire's hand; the tension was so thick.

He chided himself for being such a coward. He was–well, he was _Robin_ for goodness sake. He had fought super villains, comrades and even himself. He knew what to do; he just had to do it.

Finally, he was able to summon the words. "Why... why'd you run away last night, Kori?"

There, he had asked it. It was, after all, the root of his anxiety.

She sighed. He didn't like the sound of it. "Richard, you are my _best friend." _He frowned. He didn't like the sound of that either, but he let her continue. "You and I, we always look out for each other. When I need help, you are almost always the first one there. When I see you falling, I would risk life and limb to catch you. I pushed you out of Cinderblock's way because you would have done no less for me. We save each other's lives, time and again, but it is funny how the little things mean just as much..."

He swallowed. She still hasn't answered his question, but he was willing to listen to everything she had to say. "Little things?"

She nodded. "You are concerned about me when I am sad; you explain things to me when the others just laugh; you used a motored cycle that you detested to drive me to the city, just because you know I'd like it; you told me your past because you wanted me to know more about you... things such as those."

A tiny, wan smile tugged at a corner of her lip. "Kori, those things–they're easy to do when it's you."

Starfire turned a deeper shade of red, her fingers twiddling. _"Those_ things made me... _feel things_ for you. I–I did not want to acknowledge them at first. I thought it was silly of me... _Tamaranian_ of me. Sometimes, humans are so difficult to understand and I did not want to make Tamaranian mistakes, but then it got harder and harder to ignore. These last few months, you have been so... _attentive._ And then you brought us here, to Gotham, and I felt _so close _to you. You were _everywhere_. How am I supposed to ignore that?"

Robin was could hardly process her words. It was like his motor reflexes shut down automatically when things became too good to be true.

Starfire's brows knotted and she bit her lip, like she was going to cry. "Richard, _please_ say _something!"_

He blinked his stupor away and he realized that his fear was gone. He could think now. He could act; he could do the things he was supposed to do, because Starfire had won the battle for him. The tension from his shoulders melted away and he was finally able to reach out and take her hand. He asked his question again, more confidently this time. "Why'd you run away when you kissed me?"

She tried to yank her hand away, but he held it firmly in his grasp. Finding that there was no escape, she replied. "Because you just _stood there._ Last night, I dared to think–that you might actually–so I kissed you, and you _did not do anything._ I just _knew_ I was completely wrong. I could not bear the thought of you telling me that I had been imagining things; that I was just being a silly Tamaranian _girl._ I listen to Babs and to Diana and Dr. Meridian... they are all such _women_ compared to me, but these were the kind of women you knew before you knew _me_ and I just felt _so stupid! _And now I have ruined _everything!"_

_Oh God, what a mess I've made!_ he thought, hating himself. How could he be such an idiot? How could he be such a slow-witted moron? "Kori, you haven't ruined _anything._ I didn't want you to run away last night. I... wanted you to stay right where you were."

She fell silent for a while before she spoke again. "What?"

He felt himself flushing at the mere thought of what he was about to say. "You were gone so fast. I mean–I was so surprised that I had to figure out if I was–I don't know... hallucinating or something. I was slow and I didn't know what to think. And I was _so stupid _last night that I couldn't even begin–I just kept wishing that I had done _something. _These last few months, I've been thinking about you differently. I kept telling myself that I was just–_being hormonal. _It was only when we got here to Gotham that I realized just how much more it all meant..." He sighed. He knew he was saying it all wrong. He was using all the wrong words and stringing them into all the wrong sentences. He was never good with expressing emotions. So he tried again, and this time, he started where _she_ started. "Kori, you are my _best friend... _and I was–" he willed himself to say the word "–_afraid_ I'd lose you if I asked for more than your friendship."

"You were afraid I would reject you?"

He swallowed. It was always difficult to admit fear. "I was afraid I'd _lose_ you."

"Richard..." she began, turning in his direction and touching his face.

He placed his hand over hers, a small smile creeping from his lips as he took in every detail of her. "Yeah?"

"... you _dolt."_

Robin blinked a few times before he chuckled softly. Wherever she learned the word, she learned it well. It was exactly what he deserved.

When her fingers, once more, moved over his lips, he knew what to do. He leaned over, kissed her and neither showed any inclination to run away.

He stopped thinking then. All he knew was that he wanted to pull her closer, so he did, and she let him. She fit into his embrace perfectly and the deepening of the kiss made him heady with thoughts of her. When they separated, breathless, he didn't feel quite like letting her go.

It was just as well. Starfire made no motion to move away.

Foreheads touching, she smiled, her unseeing eyes blinking languorously. He responded with a smile of his own. He was in such a state of mind that he swore _nothing_ felt better than having her in his arms, feelings having been expressed, and her lips puffed slightly from a kiss she had shared with him.

"It is nice to be more than friends," she teased gently, tilting her face to rub noses with him.

He smiled, letting her. "Yeah. Don't know what took me so long to figure it out."

She giggled softly. "Well..." She was about to say something more when he kissed her to keep her from making any smart-ass comments. The kiss was quick, and she complained mildly when his touch left her.

He chuckled, amused. She wasn't shy about what she wanted.

"Richard?"

"Yeah?"

"Does this mean you will stop cruising for chickens?"

He laughed softly. "I _never_ cruised for 'chicks'. I guess now I know why. Turns out the only 'chick' I wanted was in the tower, I just didn't know it at the time."

She blushed, just the way she always did, but on that night, Robin thought it looked particularly becoming. "I'm glad. I know it is rather–possessive, but just so we are even, I promise not to 'cruise for boys', as Babs said we should..."

Robin stifled a sigh. _Jeez, Babs. Thanks for nothing. _"I _would_ appreciate it if you–you know–don't go out with other boys," he said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I'd really, _really _appreciate it if you don't kiss them either. So yeah, we're just about even on that."

She smiled, sidling closer to him. He made no complaints.

They had a lot to talk about, still, between all the kissing. They had gone through so much; talked, fought and laughed as friends. The change in their relationship, though gradual, still came as a surprise, pleasant as it was. It was easy conversation since, quite understandably, both parties were especially congenial that evening. They agreed to agree and agreed to disagree in the most agreeable way–that is, if they even disagreed at all.

It was Robin who brought up the subject of their friends. For him, this was a particularly serious subject. From day one he was the leader. He was focused, dependable and he did what he had to do. He knew that even now, with Starfire nearer to his heart than ever, he could _still_ be all those things, but would the others see it that way? Everything was fine for them when they tried to convince him to _"go for it"_, but they only started saying those things when Jump City began to settle down. He was beginning to believe that the only reason they brought it up was because they thought it was a _convenient_ time for him to be involved with Starfire. Perhaps they thought that with the crime rate down, it was okay for their leader to be unfocused, slightly irresponsible and perhaps a bit bamboozled. So what would happen if suddenly they had to face a super villain while he and Starfire were together? Would they think that they couldn't completely depend on their fearless leader anymore?

He told her his concerns and she nodded, understanding.

"So do you wish to keep _us_ secret?" she asked; her tone gentle.

Robin was slightly surprised by this. "Secret? I'm not ashamed of you, Kori."

"I know. But you must be Robin first, before you are Richard, yes? Perhaps _secret_ is a strong word. There is no need to deny that we have a different relationship now, but we need not discuss it with them, either. They know enough, I think, to understand without us having to tell them."

Robin had his doubts about it. "I suppose..."

"And perhaps we should not–" she hesitated "–_show _them much, either."

He frowned and hated that he was considering her suggestion. He knew the problems with that arrangement. Starfire was expressive, affectionate and unpretentious. Her emotions were her strength and he didn't want her to suppress all that just because she happened to be with him, but she might have to, and she said she was willing, but could he even ask that much of her?

He ran his hand lightly against her nape. "We'll see, alright? Let's not think about it now. I'm sorry I brought it up."

She would, of course, express how much she forgave him.

It took Alfred and dinner to call them out, and while Alfred and Bruce's faces remained impassive, he had a vague feeling that they could see right through him.

Starfire certainly showed no hint that anything had changed. She kept on being her usual self and twice, Robin had to tell himself that their talk in the viewing room did happen, and that they _had_ kissed; that this time, she hadn't run away. For the most part, that was still unbelievable.

After dinner, he was finally able to walk her around the house; showing her his haunts and then telling her the memories that went with it. She _was_ right. He was everywhere and he supposed he had never thought about the Wayne Manor like that. He had spent most of his childhood moving from one place to another. To him, home was with the people he cared for: his parents. When his parents died, he never really called anyone or anything home again, not even when Bruce took him in. But he supposed when one spent enough years in a single place, it became one's home whether or not one allowed it to be so. He had always referred to the Wayne Manor as "the house" or "the mansion" or "where I live" but not quite "home"; not until now; not until Starfire.

"This is my home," he said quietly, more to himself, than to her.

She smiled, but she said nothing. Perhaps she detected that his words were for himself, or maybe she just thought he was stating the obvious.

Starfire ran her fingers gently through the water from the edge of the pool, probably liking the warmth of it against the slight chill of the room. Robin sat watching from one of the lounge chairs nearest to her, amazed at how much Starfire had affected his life, especially in the last few months.

He had been guiding Starfire all this time, but in a strange, wonderful way, it seemed Starfire was guiding_ him._

Robin left the lounge chair to sit beside her, liking the relaxing silence between them. Every once in a while, he would lean over and say something, or perhaps he just stole a kiss, just because he could.

He lost track of time and he forgot that it had been one of the longest days of his life. At that point; as far as he was concerned, the day could move as slow as it wanted.

To be continued...

* * *

Closing notes: William N. Escher, as you may have already figured out, is a fictional character, but the name was not randomly put together. The "N" stands for Nadrian, as in Nadrian Seeman. Nadrian and his post-doctoral associate _William _Sherman reported to the _Nano__ Letters_ that they built a sub-microscopic robot that walked on legs made from fragments of DNA. This is _not_ fiction. Nadrian claimed to have been inspired by a particular woodcut he saw in a bar created by one M.C. _Escher_, a well-known artist in his era (Circa early 1900) whose graphic and artistic technique blended symmetry, _asymmetry_, and elements of architecture. It was these aspects of Escher's art that reminded Nadrian of the double helix, thus leading his thoughts to designing DNA-enhance nanotech. If you understand the connection between Escher art and DNA-Nanotech, then you're at least borderline nerd. Me, I'm way past borderline... I merely based my nano-tech on their discovery, so what I've written isn't a reflection of what they've accomplished. If you're still unclear about the whole nano-tech thing in relation to the story, I'll be explaining a bit more in the next chapter.

I'm sorry I already got to the kissing part, but that's the way the story goes. Haha! I mean, I thought it mean to keep teasing you, and Robin, so I just took Cyborg's advice and "did it". I tried not to be so sappy, but I couldn't help it. _Not _being sappy sort of ruined it, so I went back and made a lot of changes. It's about as un-sappy as I could get in such a sappy situation. There's more to come, anyway. Not over yet.

I know now that there's really a Gotham City Knights basketball team in the National Rookie League, but I swear I didn't know about them before I made up a basketball team for Gotham.


	14. Discoveries

Author's Warning: Brace yourself for sap... and hormones.

Standard disclaimers apply.

Edited: September 17, 2004 in response to the valuable observations of eventidespirit and Wind Beneath Her Wings. Thanks you two!!!

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.**

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Fourteen - Discoveries**

It would have been more practical to take a car. After all, it was fall. Plus, they were going to pick up a package and trunk space might have been handy, but Robin wasn't above the prospect of having his gorgeous girlfriend's arms and legs wrapped around him while he had absolute control. What was trunk space when no space was much better?

Besides, Starfire loved a fast motorcycle ride, and it was always about making her happy, right? She was, in fact, eager enough to ride a motorcycle to offer carrying a backpack for extra storage.

He explained to Starfire that Chen Express was the overnight delivery's equivalent to Swiss banking, both of which specialized in total anonymity. They had specific drop-off points in the city that changed every four months in random pattern; some totally isolated and some hidden in plain sight. Information would be sent to a recipient on the day of the pick-up through any means necessary, so long as the message could be received in private. How they happened to know where a recipient was at a given time of day, for they could go so far as contact him from a phone booth he just happened to be standing next to while crossing the street, Robin did not know. Their delivery staff, for some reason, never leaked information to the press, or to their cable guy, or even to their mothers. Rumor has it that all employees were implanted with chips that neutralized memory, from short-term to lifetime, depending on how well, or how badly, they followed company policy. There was no official information about how they handled their business and frankly, Robin didn't want to know. All he could be sure about was that only the richest people in the world could afford their services because they charged exorbitant fees, and if Bruce trusted them, Robin could as well.

Robin and Starfire sped through the isolated road leading to one of Chen's drop-off points. Even now, taking the route he was instructed to follow, Robin still didn't know what was at the end of it. All ChenEx said was that he would know it when he got there.

He turned a sharp curve and Starfire clung a bit tighter in response. He thought maybe he should take turns like it more often. When finally, they broke through the tree-lined narrow road and came upon a small clearing with a stone-well in the middle of nowhere, Robin hoped he was reading the omens right.

He skidded to a halt, a spray of pebbles and Autumn leaves shooting away from the wheels. When they came to a full stop, Starfire relaxed and pulled away. He was almost sad the ride was over for now.

Robin pulled off his helmet and unzipped his jacket as he looked over his shoulder at her. She had removed her own head gear. Her hair, having loosened from the knot she had twisted it into, was now wild around her shoulders and flushed face. He didn't know exactly what it was about seeing her so disheveled, but he loved it.

She smiled, unzipping her jacket. "I will never tire of that."

He cocked a grin. Starfire and speed looked good, but Starfire and post-speed looked even better. "Neither will I."

Starfire levitated a bit to make a graceful dismount and he followed, unfolding the bike pedal and leaning the bike against it. He had just taken Starfire's hand when a glimmer of realization crossed his mind.

They were in the middle of nowhere and they were alone; the sky was about as clear as it could get in the fall and there were trees tinted with gold, amber and crimson all around them, their leaves blanketing the ground in similar colors. It was like a dream, and there probably wouldn't be another day and place like it.

He leaned back against the bike and pulled Starfire to him, sliding his arms around her. She was surprised for only a moment then she smiled.

Robin grinned, leaning to speak into her ear. "Bruce paid millions for this kind of privacy. Would be a shame to waste it."

Starfire giggled softly. "Waste not, want not?" she said, turning to catch his lips.

Having her in his embrace and heady with the thought that they could make out on the motorcycle all day without fear of interruption, Robin couldn't help but think that his _want_ wasn't going away anytime soon.

The wind was just crisp enough for them to want to press closer, but there was nothing cold about any of it. In fact, Robin was beginning to feel a little _too_ hot. Suddenly, comfort fit denims weren't so comfortable anymore. Starfire showed no indication that she noticed, but Robin couldn't ignore what was in his pants. He pulled away, taking deep breaths to calm himself.

_Obviously, I didn't think this through,_ he thought through grit teeth.

A mild pout formed on her lips. "Must we get back to work so soon?"

He managed to laugh softly. At least he wasn't the only one reluctant to cut their make-out session short. "Well, you know, the sooner we get this over with..."

Her pout disappeared and was replaced with a radiant smile. "We could swim in the Wayne Manor pool?"

Robin thought that a bad idea because it was... _such a perfect idea._ He stifled a sigh, putting away his thoughts of Stafire in a bikini. _Talk about dangerous waters. _Speed may be fine on a motorcycle, but there was no way he was going to risk his new-formed relationship with Starfire by going too fast. Even thrill junkies like them knew when to chill and Robin cared too much for Starfire to jump into anything too soon.

"I have a better idea," he said, pushing some hair off her forehead. "Since we're probably going to be working all day at the mansion, we could relax a bit before we hit the Bat Cave and drop in on a café I know up in Edgecliff. I'll try my best to tell you about the view when we get there..."

She grinned, knowing describing views and such wasn't his strong point.

"... but the view is the least of it. It smells fantastic because they always have pastries baking in the oven and the music's not bad." He cocked a smile. "The owner keeps this canary that sings all day. I doubt if it's the same bird all through out, though, because there's this orange cat that walks around and it's hella fat, like it eats canaries for dessert."

Starfire giggled.

"Coffee's good but their hot chocolate's the best. You could put marshmallows on it and everything."

She grinned, tilting her head up to rub her nose on his chin. "Sounds wonderful."

"It is. But first, we'll get this package-thing over with."

She sighed but smiled as she let him go. He left her leaning against the motorcycle while he strode across the small clearing.

He went to the well and there was a trap over its mouth with a heavy bolt. It wasn't locked, but it wasn't easy to crank, either. ChenEx had decided not to oil it, perhaps to deter any curious wanderers who weren't meant to stumble on a package that wasn't theirs.

Robin considered asking Starfire to unseal it; heck, she could rip through the entire trap without breaking a sweat, but his ego protested. It was one thing when Starfire was just his best friend and team member; another now that she was his girlfriend. It was like when girls asked their boyfriends to twist the cap off a jar, only the roles were reversed, and at the level his testosterone was right now, he couldn't bring himself to do the politically correct thing.

Steeling himself, he put more muscle into it until it gave. No easy task. He blew a breath when he threw the trap open and fished the package out. He strode on back to the motorcycle and was glad to find out that the box fit into the meager storage space.

When the storage space was secured, he guided her back to the seat.

"Did you go to this Edgecliff café a lot, Richard?"

He smiled, straddling the motorcycle to face her. He was no playboy like Bruce Wayne, but he'd learned a thing or two from Starfire herself to know how _his_ woman thought. Still, he decided to play along with her. It wasn't like he wasn't going to enjoy it, anyway. "On occasion. It's quiet, and relatively isolated. Pretty romantic." He thought he set the bait perfectly.

Her eyebrow arched. "Romantic, is it? How did you find out about it?"

"Bruce mentioned it. I think he brought a girl there, once." More bait.

"It is... the type of place to bring girls to?"

He knew it. _You sly woman, you._ And he was right; he _was_ enjoying this conversation. "Well, not just any girl," he teased. _"My _girl."

Her brow arched higher and he laughed softly.

"Hmph! What's so funny, Dick Grayson?"

"Nothing's funny. You're just cute when you're trying to fish for information. I've gone there twice, and I was alone both times. You could ask the owner."

"Goodness, as if I would do such a thing!" she said disdainfully.

Robin grinned, pinching her chin lightly and leaning over to kiss her. It didn't take long for her to kiss back and show him he was forgiven for teasing.

His heart leapt to his throat when her legs began to slide up over his. When she scooted forward on the seat, he didn't know _what_ to think and he chided himself (but only slightly) when he found that he had helped her get closer. On the one hand, he saw no logic in putting a stop to something so good, yet on another, he knew that encouraging this pace would be a mistake. It was only the second day and already his body was desperately insisting that he make up for all those times he had taken those cold showers.

He refused to lose control, though Starfire was no help. Apparently, her Tamaranian zest for life covered _everything,_ including driving her boyfriend crazy with longing. When his hands began to get frisky, he knew he had to stop.

Robin managed to summon all his will-power and pull away, gasping for breath. His hormones were relentless and made him regret it immediately, but he restrained himself with heroic effort. He almost missed the fact that Starfire looked like she had wrenched herself from him as well.

She leaned back, catching her breath. "This motored cycle was a mistake."

He stared at her, gaping while he breathed through his mouth, then he let out a miserable laugh. He was partially relieved that they had parallel thoughts on the matter and that they could talk about it openly.

Robin raked his fingers through his hair, gingerly moving as far back as he could. "That's one way to look at it." He was willing to blame the equipment, but only to a certain extent. He knew Starfire understood what he meant.

"There is a saying in Tamaran... and I found out that one Earthling, an actress of yours named Mae West, shares the same philosophy."

"What is it?" he asked, shaking himself from his haze.

_"Harkl'r dun ef il'run."_

"Which means?"

"Sex is emotion in motion."

He was speechless as he absorbed her words. He hadn't expected that.

"It is difficult–" she began "–when you feel so strongly about a person, to hold back and _not_ express how much you feel for him with everything you have. In Tamaran, there are no taboos about _this_ unlike here on Earth, but it does not make a Tamaranian's first time any easier."

Robin tried not to be too thrilled about the fact that she hadn't slept with anyone before, after all, it hardly would have mattered to him if she did, but still. "I'm not–the most experienced guy in the world, you know, but even if I were, I'd want us to take it–slow. You're very special to me, Kori."

She smiled. "I know."

He laughed awkwardly. "I'm not even sure if–Earthlings and Tamaranians... _do it_ the same–"

"It's the same. Uncannily so."

"Oh." He tried not to be too thrilled about that either. "Well, that's one less thing I have to worry about now, is it?"

She giggled, blushing. "You worry overmuch."

"It's my nature."

"This, I know, as well."

He reached out and ran his thumb tenderly over the arch of her cheek before he sighed and repositioned himself on the seat of the motorcycle to drive. "We should get going if we want to get back to the mansion early." He gave Starfire her helmet before he put on his and zipping their riding jackets closed, he kicked up the paddock and started the bike.

888888888888

_Le Canari Do'r_ was sometimes called _Le Canari Do'r Mort_ on account of the high bird mortality rate. One look at the cat that prowled the premises of the café and the mystery of the dead birds was solved. Nobody, however, took it against the fat cat, for what was such a cat to do in a café named _The Golden Canary _if not eat its live performers?

Robin hadn't gone back to _Le Canari Do'r_ enough times to be considered a regular, but being Dick Grayson, he was a hard person to forget. Robin suspected that the waiter who welcomed them wasn't the least bit French; he just pretended he was, and Pierre (whose real name was Billy), welcomed him and his "lady friend". The café was mostly empty. Apart from the two of them, there were two others who sat on separate tables minding their own business.

"Pierre" led them to a table in the patio overlooking Gotham City. He spoke with an accent, as if he was having a difficult time speaking straight English.

Robin grinned and he wondered how long Pierre's charade would hold out with Starfire around.

"Ehhh," said Pierre. "Pierre take what you like, yes?"

Robin, stifling his laughter, gestured to Starfire sitting across from him, as if to tell Pierre to ask her first.

"Ah! _Le beau_ lay-dee first? Mademoiselle, tell Pierre what you like."

Starfire smiled shyly. _"Du chocolat chaud avec de la guimauve, s'il vous plait."_

Pierre stared at her, eyes widening ever so slightly. Robin willed himself to keep a straight face.

_I knew it!_ thought Robin in twisted glee.

Pierre instantly looked constipated. "Y-Your French is..."

Starfire's brows knotted in worry. _"Est-ce erron_e_?"_

_"O-Oui?"_

Starfire reddened in response to Pierre's incorrectly applied "Yes" to her question of "Is it wrong?"

_"P-Pardonnez moi," _she said in a mortified tone. _"Le francais est difficile... je–"_

Robin gently took her hand, chuckling. "Kori, the only person who needs to apologize is Pierre. He doesn't know how to speak French. He's just pretending."

Starfire let his words sink in before she frowned. "Oh."

Robin looked up at the shamefaced Pierre and said, "We'll have two hot chocolates with marshmallows on top, please. You should know that's what she asked for the first time. _'Le francais est difficile,' _means 'French is difficult', and she's right. I barely know how to speak it, so I don't. Try taking a class. That might help your little act."

Pierre cleared his throat. "Yes, sir. Right away, sir," he humbly said. He was about to leave when he turned in Starfire's direction and said, "I'm really sorry ma'am. I–uh–hope you don't take it out of my tip..."

Robin and Starfire each arched an eyebrow in his direction and he scampered off, muttering their order hurriedly.

When he was gone, Starfire scowled. "Why did you make me speak French to him if you knew he could not?" she demanded.

Robin smiled. "Because I wanted to hear you speak it."

"You could have just _asked_ me, you know."

"Where's the fun in that?"

"Hmph! Dick Grayson, this hot chocolate _better_ be good."

He laughed. "It is. Yummier than Alfred's, in fact. Don't tell him I told you that, though."

They fell into a comfortable silence, interrupted only by the trill of the red canary from its cage (the pet store having ran out of gold ones).

The buttery sweet smell of pastries baking in the cafe's oven permeated through the air and the robust, darting fragrance of crushed beans was a perfect contrast to the sugary scent. He saw Starfire blissfully breathing the aroma in and he smiled.

"The cafe's located on the edge of a cliff," said Robin. "There's a white railing so that–you know, diners don't fall off accidentally."

Starfire giggled. "We would not want _that."_

He knew she was teasing him for his failed attempts at description and he grinned. "I'm a warrior, not a poet. Sorry."

She laughed.

He felt her thumb caressing the back of his hand soothingly, her giggle easing to a contented smile. She was turned in the direction of Gotham, though she couldn't see it, and she leaned back on her seat, basking in her other senses.

She looked so calm, so at peace that Robin suddenly remembered Raven's healing stone and wondered if the serene acceptance Starfire was exuding had anything to do with it. The remembrance of Raven brought forth other question he only now had an opportunity to ask. "Kori, I've been wondering about Raven..."

She smiled wanly. "All of you boys wonder about Raven."

Robin was surprised by that. He didn't think Cyborg or Beast Boy ever took an interest. "I mean, I know she's weird, and that she's really dark–wouldn't be Raven if she wasn't, and I probably wouldn't have her any other way, but–" He hesitated.

"But?"

"When we were leaving the tower, she said stuff to you. It sounded like she read tarot cards, and she spoke spells. Sometimes, I refer to her as a witch, in my mind–"

Starfire gasped, but she looked like she was ready to laugh, too.

Robin hastened to explain. "I don't mean it in a _bad sense_, the way Terra said it–"

"Dick Grayson--!"

Robin noticed that she called him by that name when she was displeased with him, in varying degrees. "Like I said, I'm not dissing her! But... it just seems so appropriate, that's all. Is there anything remotely true about what I'm thinking? What's up with her? And since we're on the subject, what's up with _the two of you?_ It's like you've both got this secret–"

She sighed, though a small smile threatened to break from her lips. "It is _not a secret._ Raven is an occultist _and_ she is _Wiccan_. It would be difficult for me to explain it to you in brief, for if I miss out on one thing, you will most certainly misinterpret and misunderstand its whole, and I simply could not do that to Raven. Raven would be most displeased by that. She confides in me because she believes I am the only one capable of understanding her practices."

Robin shook his head in feigned hurt, though his tone did not mirror it. "You superhero women give _no credit_ whatsoever to your _men._ You all think we're a bunch of insensitive cavemen who carry sticks to hit people with."

Starfire giggled softly. "Well, you do have your bo-staff..."

"Cheap shot. _You_ have your walking cane." The moment he said it, he wanted to take it back, but she merely laughed and he was immensely relieved.

"Point taken, Richard. The main reason Raven tells me and nobody else is because I am a goddess worshipper, just like her, and because–well, quite simply, she feels more comfortable confiding in me than the rest of you."

Robin's brows knotted in concentration. "I could respect her privacy. I understand that sort of thing most of all, but I'm her leader. I'd like to understand her; mainly because I don't want to misinterpret anything, whether my misinterpretation is significant or not. Doesn't she trust me?"

"It is not a criticism of your leadership, Richard." She giggled. "Raven is an enigma. There's no understanding her by _telling."_

Robin rolled his eyes. "I _have_ been trying to understand without the telling part, but you know how difficult Raven could be."

"Yes. Stop trying. It is not about explaining _her. _That simply cannot be done. Just take comfort in the fact that while she confides in me the most, there are no four people she'd rather trust and be with in this world than us."

He smiled. "I could work with that. But I have to say that I've been curious about the stuff she told you at the tower. What was that tarot card she gave you?"

"Ah." She nodded. _"The Fool;_ it had been flanked by the ace of cups."

"Yeah. And there were other stuff too."

"The Fool was crossed by the Emperor of five swords and underneath it was the World. She also mentioned a Hanged Man."

"Makes absolutely no sense to me."

Starfire smiled, but it was tinged by deep melancholy. "I will tell you about the Fool and the ace of cups, but the others... you need not know about those."

Robin wasn't a superstitious person. He liked black cats, walked on cracks; under ladders; and if he counted the number of mirrors he'd broken in the course of his crime-fighting career, the superstitious would tell him that he would carry bad luck to his dying day. Robin didn't believe in horoscopes and the only future he saw in a crystal ball was the regret he'd feel dishing money out to the gypsy who claimed she could read it.

But Raven's powers were so dark, so unfathomable, that he had long stopped trying to make sense of it. It just _was._ If she had it under control, he had no quarrel with it. And while Raven had many times claimed that her powers had nothing to do with seeing into the future, there was something about Raven and Tarot Cards that just fit so terrifyingly well.

Starfire's last words worried him. It was unlikely that Starfire thought them unimportant. It sounded as if Starfire would not tell him because she was protecting him from its implications. Whatever the meaning behind the cards she called "others", she didn't want to burden him with it.

"What did those other cards say?" he asked.

She neither smiled nor frowned. "Those _other _cards are vague. They could mean many things."

"Bad things?"

She hesitated. "I do not know."

Robin didn't like that hesitation. Starfire may be telling the truth; that she didn't know, but who indeed could tell the future for certain? If Starfire said she didn't know, it probably meant she had a bad feeling about it because she was never one to hold out on bright possibilities. He would keep those "other cards" in mind, but he was willing to let it go for now. He could hardly understand what was upsetting him, anyhow. They were just cards, right?

He decided to let her talk about the cards she _was_ willing to interpret for him. "Tell me about the fool and the ace of cups," he requested gently.

Her smile returned, except without the melancholy. "The Fool means that I am setting out on a journey. This can mean many things, like a beginning, or perhaps a quest, or a birth, or a _healing_. It could mean several small journeys or one big one spanning years. Then again, it could be both. The Fool was particularly special to me because it was flanked by the ace of cups. It meant... a new beginning... for love and happiness. It was a journey I was willing to take and I was hoping it was you who would take the journey with me. Are you... traveling this path with me, Richard?"

Robin took a moment to process this before he leaned over the table and tenderly placed a kiss on her lips. She held him so that the kiss would last.

When they separated, Robin placed his lips to her ear. "Absolutely." Then he pressed a kiss to her temple before pulling back, lacing his fingers through hers.

Someone cleared his throat and Robin looked up to see Pierre with cups of steaming hot coco.

Robin let him place the cups on their table, marshmallows floating on the surface of chocolate and slowly melting into the drink.

_"Merci," _said Starfire, as a small smile played on her lips.

Pierre hurried away.

Robin led Starfire's hand to the cup, careful not scald her. Gingerly, they took sips of their chocolate.

To Robin, a cup of hot chocolate in the _Golden Canary _(a.k.a. _The Dead Golden Canary_) was always a sumptuous treat to the taste buds; this time was no different, but he was yet to hear the only opinion that mattered to him at the moment.

He watched her pause, lick her lips and sigh.

"Glorious."

He grinned triumphantly. "Told you the chocolate was worth the French _faux pas."_

Starfire smiled and pulled him close just to show him just how delicious and sumptuous the Golden Canary's _chocolat _could be.

In the background, the trill of the canary came to a shrill halt as the cat sought its meal. Starfire and Robin didn't notice a thing.

88888888888888

Robin leaned back on the seat of the supercomputer and replayed the footage with growing frustration. In the background, he could hear the soft ticker of Starfire converting the last of the documents into Braille so she could read them.

To ease his mind, he looked over his shoulder at her. She was already studying what documents have been converted and she was somewhat slumped on her seat, no doubt bored out of her mind but determined to read through all of them. On both sides of her were thick piles of Braille-converted reading material. Some of it she had set aside on a different pile.

When they got back from Edgecliff, they immediately set to work in the Bat Cave. Robin told Starfire everything he had found out since they arrived at Gotham, particularly with regard to Theodore and Alberta's report. He asked her what she thought about the nano-robots.

"That technology is amazingly advanced," she remarked in an awe-stricken voice. "Even in my planet, such robots exist only in fiction and mythology."

Robin was surprised by this. "Mythology?"

"Yes. Just like any culture, we have our share of legends. In the annals of our bloody history, there are tales of great _animals_ with steel bones. They were controlled by mythical Tamaranean sorcerers. They captured the spirits of these animals and became connected to them, controlling them like puppets, but from the inside. _Born of metal and flesh. _That's what the legends say. Of course, there has been no evidence to suggest that any of that is true. And now you are telling me that this hybrid of steel and bio-matter has been created, but in microscopic form. That is quite amazing!"

Robin grinned. "It is. I thought at first Escher was behind it. After all, he made the calculations and the designs for a possible prototype. But..."

"Even if he has been dead for quite some time, he _could_ have been involved. Somebody certainly took his designs seriously and succeeded in replicating it. I'd imagine that would be an astounding feat without the originator of the design around to guide the one constructing it."

Robin nodded. "Possible, but I'm not betting on it. I'll look into that possibility, of course. In the meantime, I've been trying to figure out exactly what these nano-robots had to do with Plasmus' escape. What do you think?" He had formulated several ideas of his own, but he wanted to hear Starfire's theories on the matter.

Starfire thought it over. "It is quite possible that the nano-robots emitted enough high frequency pulses to shatter the glass; or more simply, they could have eaten through the glass, just enough to weaken a section of it. All it needed was one crack in the right place for the whole case to fall apart."

Robin shrugged. "Simple enough. I had more or less the same theories. But what about the increase in his acidity? Do you think these nano-robots could have carried enough substances to react with Plasmus' chemical structure?"

"If there were enough nano-robots, I think so. If what your chemical scientists said is correct, then it is even probable that there were two sets, maybe even more, of these nano-robots, each with their own specific functions. One set was tasked to break the glass while the other was tasked to change Plasmus into what he is now. Who knows how many sets there were."

"I thought about that, too, but I'm still trying to figure out how the nano-robots got into the tank. It had to be on the same day. The nano-robots couldn't last very long after they're released."

"Then you must review the surveillance tapes. See if anything unusual occurred."

He smiled. "That's what I plan to do."

"And I will read these reports. My fresh perspective on the matter might help."

"Let's get to work."

They haven't stirred from their places since, and that had been five hours ago. Occasionally, they called to each other, asking how the other was doing. Perhaps there was a secret hope that one or the other would say something like, "I'm sick of this. Let's ditch the work and go swim in the pool!" but neither gave the slightest hint of being the first to give up.

Robin smirked when he saw Starfire toss aside a sheet and blow a breath through the corner of her lip. She leaned her cheek against her propped up hand and tapped her fingers on the desk, staying that way for a minute before sitting back up and returning to her work. It was evident enough that neither of them was giving up anytime soon, no matter how tedious the work got.

Fighting the urge to play a game of _Minesweeper,_ he returned to his viewing. Minutes later, he changed tapes. Visitors came and went and each time, Robin looked out for someone who might leave something; a pen, a syringe, or maybe even lipstick since they had women visitors but none had left anything that might work as containment systems for nano-robots.

Finally, down to his last tape, he played it until he reached the part of Plasmus' escape. It was then that the footage came to a hissing end.

"Richard?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you not say you were looking for someone who might have left something?"

"Yup."

"Someone _did_ leave something."

Robin arched an eyebrow. "Um... Kori? You know you mean everything to me–like, the _world–_and I don't ever want to hurt your feelings, but... you _can't see_..." He bit his lip, pained that he had to say it.

Starfire only looked mildly annoyed. "Do not be foolish, Richard. It is not a matter of _seeing_; it is a matter of _hearing." _

Robin absorbed this for a few seconds. "Go on."

"At the beginning of the day, a scientist addressed his colleague; one _Putz_

Robin panned a flashback in his mind, recalling the contents of the first tape.

_The oldest scientist, one Dr. Ben Goldstein, arrived last among his colleagues in Plasmus' containment facility. Already at their work areas were Dr. Jefferson Welles, Dr. Henry Thorpe and Dr. David Coolidge. _

_Dr. Welles immediately got out of his seat and dug into his lab coat for his cigarettes, depositing the coat on his seat as he did so. "I'm going to go out and smoke."_

_"Dr. Welles!" said Dr. Goldstein before he could leave. "We're dosing Otto in a few–"_

_"Yeah, yeah. I mixed the stuff last night. You don't have to worry. Otto'll get his wheaties in time for breakfast, lunch and dinner."_

_"Where are they?"_

_Sighing in exasperation, Dr. Welles reached underneath his desk for his backpack and fished out several bottles of clear fluids. "Breakfast is served."_

_Dr. Welles left the bottles on his desktop and hurried off for his smokes, muttering, "Damn nag..." _

_"Eh, and you're a Putz!" yelled Dr. Goldstein. _

Robin arched an eyebrow. "You're talking about Dr. Welles. He left the bottles and they used it to give Plasmus his doses of... well, whatever. They inject the stuff through the tank and the tubes connected to him. It's to keep him both healthy and sedate. It said so in the reports."

Starfire nodded. "Indeed. I read that part. I also read that the scientists follow a schedule for these doses. Fast forward to the last tape, before they give Plasmus the last dose for the day."

Robin concentrated and tried to remember every detail of it.

_Dr. Welles was entertaining a friend of his he called Max. They were good friends in college. He, just like all their visitors, was interested in Otto Von Furth's strange prison cell._

_Nearing the hour of Otto's daily dosage, Dr. Welles invited Max to smoke outside. Max agreed. When they returned, Dr. Welles and Max were chewing gum, likely from Dr. Welle's supply. After several minutes, Max asked where he could dispose the gum he was chewing._

_"Just stick it under my desk."_

_"Excellent." He did and looked momentarily surprised when it seemed like he had touched something. "Oh God, just like old times! Are you still trying to see if you could breed life with all that gum buildup?"_

_"It's beginning to look really gross, so I'm sure it'll up and walk out of here one of these days."_

_Max got on his hands and knees and peered under the desk, staying there for several seconds. "Amazing... disgusting..."_

_"That's how I know it's working..."_

_Some time later, Otto was given his dosage and exactly five minutes later, the glass cracked, broke and Plasmus was awake. _

Robin's eyes widened. "The gum..."

_But that isn't even Max's gum, _he thought critically. However, after a few seconds reconsidering, Robin realized that it didn't matter whose gum it was. All Max needed was an excuse to get under that desk, press something into the old gum, particularly something that contained nano-robots, and perhaps break it open.

_Of course!_ thought Robin. It made perfect sense. Max stayed under the desk long enough. He certainly could have deposited anything in that goop in the few seconds he was there, and nobody would have noticed it. The nano-robots could have very well made the trip from beneath the desk to the remaining bottles of "dinner" on Dr. Welle's desk, and "dinner" would be laced by DNA-Enhanced nano-robots by the time it was all injected into Plasmus' tank. It was brilliant!

"Kori, you're _brilliant!" _He rewound the last tape and sought the scene with Max.

Starfire smiled. "I am... correct?"

"You're so correct I could kiss you right now!"

"Well, what is stopping you?"

"My adrenaline. I'm too excited by this new development."

She laughed softly.

"Kori, see if you could find anybody named Max in the Visitors' Log Book. Maybe he left a complete name in there we could check up on."

Starfire nodded and quickly searched for the file.

There was a beeping sound coming from the supercomputer and Robin clicked it. He knew it was communication from the tower.

Raven showed up on screen. "I have information on your nerd magazine."

"Cool. Send it up," said Robin.

At the sound of Raven's voice, Starfire looked up from her work. "Oh, hello Raven!"

"Starfire. You look different. You have bird boy's aura all over you. What's he done?"

Robin and Starfire blushed at the same time.

Beast Boy's face popped up on screen, pushing Raven's face aside. "Robin's done something? What did he do?" His huge eyes blinked on the monitor, peering critically at Starfire.

"None of your business what I done to her," said Robin pertly.

"Oh?" asked Raven.

He then realized that what he said hadn't sounded right at all. "Just send us the file."

Starfire giggled in the background but Robin bravely kept a straight face.

Raven, who was never one to dally, got back to the task at hand. "Your magazine has a very interesting list of subscribers. Short too."

"Yeah. Twenty three in the United States."

"Oh, by the way," said Beast Boy. "Fang broke out of jail and tried to bust Kitty out of prison the other day."

Robin bristled. "When?"

"Oh, that same day you and Starfire left."

"Why didn't any of you tell me about it–like, when it was happening?"

Beast Boy scoffed. "What the heck for? We got him back in jail and hardly broke a sweat doing it. There was no need to worry you."

"I would have appreciated _knowing_ about it."

Raven shoved Beast Boy aside. "Stop being neurotic, Robin. We told you already, didn't we? We knew you'd get all edgy for nothing."

"I _don't_ get edgy."

His statement was followed by a silence, punctuated only by the raising of several eyebrows. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Starfire's eyebrow raised as well.

_Great, even my girlfriend thinks I'm a control freak. _He sighed. "Get me Cyborg on the line."

"We can't. He's too busy fixing the T-Car. Fang punctured a hole through its roof..."

"Oh dear..." said Starfire with a soft gasp.

"... and sort of totaled it when he tossed it off the overpass..." finished Beast Boy.

"Oh dear," repeated Starfire in a darker tone.

Robin frowned. "I thought you said you didn't break a sweat!"

"We didn't," said Raven. "Cyborg went so psycho that he put Fang away all by himself."

Beast Boy cackled. "Dude, it was awesome! Nobody hurts _his girlfriend_ and gets away with it."

_It's all about girlfriends, _Robin thought; Cyborg's T-Car, Fang's Kitty and _his_ Koriand'r. And he knew for a fact that he was the luckiest one of the three.

He grinned in self-satisfaction.

"What are you smirking about?" Raven asked.

Robin frowned. "Nothing. Anything else?"

"We're still trying to put some facts together..."

"What? And you're sitting here exchanging pleasantries with us? We have no time for this! Get back to work!"

"Easy Chairman Mao!" cried Beast Boy. "We're going already! Shees-_Louise!_ _Meowr_

Raven growled. "Beast Boy, that is _not_ a scratching post. Get back here--"

Their faces disappeared as the window blinked close.

"I miss being in the tower," said Starfire.

Robin smiled wanly. "Yeah, me too. D'you have a look at that Log Book yet?"

She giggled. "It is right here, Chairman Mao. I am yet to read it."

He winced. "Am I that bossy?"

"You are our leader. You have to be," she replied, casting him a warm smile before getting back to work.

He flashed a secret smile of his own. He accessed the information Raven sent him and opened the list of subscribers for _X-Science Newsletters. _The first name that jumped at him was Theodore Griggs, but there was a name right on top of it that sounded terribly familiar. It was one Joseph Greenwald.

His brows knotted in concentration. "Kori, I have a Joseph Greenwald in a list of subscribers for _X-Science Newsletters _and... his name sounds familiar. Is he someone I should know?"

She was silent for several seconds before she replied. "Holi-tron and Gamers."

"What?"

"He was a scientist at the toy research facility. I remember him from the reports. There was nothing left of him but a finger..."

"Holi-tron? _Holy crap! _That's a spectacular coincidence, ain't it?"

"Quite."

"Any Max in the Log Book?"

"Yes. At approximately seven, post meridian, one Maxwell Victoria signed himself in. Never signed out."

Robin grinned. "That's because he left the place running and screaming." He turned to the supercomputer and flexed his fingers. They popped on their joints and he got ready to type. "One explanation to a coincidence, coming up." He set up a database for Joseph Greenwald, Maxwell Victoria and Jefferson Welles. He conducted a search combining their names, all at once or in pairs. He came up with _something _and it struck inspiration in him. He added William N. Escher to the list. There was a result, and it was beautiful.

To be continued...

* * *

Closing notes: I'm sure MOST of you have watched "Betrothed" and while I know many hated it, I personally loved it and I'll cherish that episode in my memory (and the DVD, if it ever comes out) forever. Now, with that over, here's the real reason I brought it up.

Jeanne-Marie asked me whether the history I have for Starfire has to do with her character in the show. My answer is yes and no. When I started this story, it was after the second season and before the third. So I might not be able to apply what happens in the third season, to this story, most especially since the episode of "Betrothed" veers from what I have planned for Starfire in this trilogy. It's evident enough if you read well between the lines of my story that I did plan that Starfire would be a Tamaranian Princess. What I _won't_ tell you is the circumstances behind her royalty and the _other secrets_ she keeps. My version is different, though I will adopt Starfire's nanny, Galfor (not even sure I got that right), because he's just TOO ADORABLE to ignore. I'm also thinking about giving a cameo to that HOT TAMARANIAN guy who was initially mistaken for Starfire's fiancé. I'm having dreams of him as we speak. Maybe I'll even throw in Glgrdskletchhh.

On the subject of Beast Boy and scratching posts, I read in a cat encyclopedia that when cats go around destroying furniture (like scratching things that aren't supposed to be scratched), they are stressed, or troubled. It's safe to say that beneath Beast Boy's wisecracking, he really _does_ get affected by such things as Robin's gruff orders.


	15. All's Fair

Standard disclaimers apply.

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.**

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Fifteen – All's Fair…**

_Implementing and Manufacturing the Theories_

_Of Dr. William N. Escher on Molecular Reconstruction_

That was the title of the thesis submitted, and completed, by Joseph Greenwald, Maxwell Victoria and Jefferson Welles. They received excellent marks for their work and was nominated for Best Thesis in their graduating class. The Best Thesis title was given to someone else, but many still believe they were robbed of it.

The data pointing to their combined efforts was not readily available. University libraries and their archiving systems could not be googled, or lycosed or even yahooed. One had to hack into the library system of the university to get access to it. And even if doing so presented little problem to the experienced hacker, one first had to be aware that their system needed hacking. And when one knew what needed to be done, one had to know the exact combination of keywords. In this case, the archives were partial to the words in the title of a document, book or thesis in relation to the name of the author, or the first author, if there was more than one. So if Robin had combined William N. Escher with Jefferson Welles, he would have come up with nothing; whereas William N. Escher and Joseph Greenwald was exactly the kind of combination the archive search-function responded well to, just because Greenwald alphabetically came first among his co-authors. Typing in a student-authors' names in a group or individually would not do. The university's system was capricious. Students were not recognized by their names, they were recognized by their work. Only authors published in prestigious book-houses and professors had the privilege of being available as keywords without having to combine their names with their manuscript titles.

And given that a hacker found the information he needed, he would have to obtain a copy of the thesis in the University Library. Since Greenwald, Victoria and Welles graduated from Pennsworth University, a Western states Ivy League school, the thesis was only two hours drive away from Jump City.

It was strange that three such brilliant scientists ended up in such...

_Unlikely jobs, and one of them practically unemployed... _

Robin thought that there was something terribly fishy about all that. Maxwell, as it turned out, had been getting in and out of trouble for most of his life since graduating from Pennsworth. He had gambling debts and the occasional tiff with small-time loan sharks. He had suffered at least one trip to rehab for alcohol abuse. In the course of his post-graduate life, he had moved to several states, usually where he would have access to a casino. First there was Reno, and then Las Vegas, and then Atlantic City. His current residence was somewhere in Bludhaven, which made things even stranger. Obviously, he had gone out of his way to sabotage Plasmus' containment facility.

Greenwald and Welles stayed relatively clean, though their credit was just a couple of late payments shy of being classified as "bad". They had both skipped on one or two parking tickets, but had paid the fees eventually. Their insurance cost was consistent, but only because both managed not to get pulled over for moving violations.

Robin quickly made assignments. He communicated with the tower and demanded that all of them be present for conference; "Whether Cyborg's up to it or not!"

Cyborg was _not_ up to it. His darling T-Car was still in bad shape, but he attended the meeting even if his mind was miles away.

"I want you guys to check up on Greenwald and Welles," said Robin. "Find out what you can about them, especially why they never got a break with the Big Boys. One of you should go to Pennsworth to get a copy of their thesis and ask around there, too. Their thesis adviser would be a good place to start asking questions. Study the Holi-tron files as well. You might find that information handy in your investigations. I want answers, titans. Don't stop looking until you find them, understand? _I'm _going to find out what the hell is going on even if it kills me."

And he _was_ determined. Whatever this conspiracy was, it had resulted in Starfire's loss of eyesight. One way or another, he was going to make _someone_ pay.

The titans noted the "I" instead of the "we" in Robin's orders but said nothing. When he got that way, it was best to let Starfire deal with him.

"I'm going to Bludhaven to get the dirt on Victoria," he said. "He's not supposed to be dead, so I'm hoping I could have a little chat with him. If and when I get my hands on him..."

There were muted sounds of agreement from the titans in the tower, but a small voice broke out of the tension.

"Robin, what will _I _do?"

"You'll be in the labs tomorrow finishing with your tests. You could ask around in Wayne Enterprises. Find out why they never hired any of these guys. They certainly fit the profile of a Wayne Enterprises scientist."

Starfire did not look the least bit pleased by the assignment, but she said nothing in front of their friends.

When they signed out, the first thing Starfire said was, "I want to go to Bludhaven with you."

Robin was prepared for it. He knew he had given Starfire a crap assignment and he knew she would have something to say about it, but he wasn't going to let her convince him to reassign her _especially_ if had anything to do with Bludhaven. He loved her too much. "No."

"Why not?"

"Bludhaven is a dangerous place. Even the worse of Gotham's scum avoids it."

"I have heard the stories. It is the reason I wish to go with you. You do not go to a place like that alone. I may be blind, but you said I could fight. _You _taught me how to fight."

"You could fight when you have to. It doesn't mean you could go looking for trouble."

"I am _not_ looking for trouble. I will be there to make sure nothing bad happens to you."

"And I am here to make sure nothing bad happens to _you. _You're not going."

"Richard–"

"Bludhaven is _nothing _like Jump City or Gotham. The kind of crooks you find in Bludhaven are the guys who would slit your throat for the twenty bucks you have in your purse and then pull you into an alley to rape you for kicks."

Starfire scoffed derisively. "As if anyone is strong enough to do such a thing to me! Even if I didn't know self-defense, I could take on such men by sheer brute force! In _tens_ if I have to!"

"It's _not_ like that. These guys grew up in the streets of Bludhaven and they learned to survive. If it had anything to do with strength alone then the streets would be gone of puny little crooks and filled with bouncer-type thugs. They _all_ learned how to survive one way or another, some with brawns, but most with brains. They have ways of overcoming someone stronger than them. They probably wouldn't be able to hurt you before, when you–"

"When I could see?"

_"Yes! _But it's different now, Kori."

"So this _is_ about my eyesight."

Robin sighed miserably. "I'm sorry... I just don't want you to get hurt. I couldn't bear the thought. It's such a bad place. And they could get into your head too. They could say things that could make you vulnerable, even if they've never met you before. I've been there several times and each time I leave it I tell myself that I'm never going back. It's just so awful."

An ordinary girl would have turned and left, stricken by the reality and the heart-wrenching concern in his tone, but instead of accepting any of it, Starfire's mouth straightened to a grim line.

"I am going with you. You know I could do it. You know I am ready to go out there. _Don't_ you dare deny it, Dick Grayson. You trained me for this."

Robin's eyes narrowed to slits. He knew Starfire could be stubborn. While in the last few months she hadn't exerted her will to join the team in fighting the occasional petty villain, Robin had a feeling that the acquiescence was only temporary, and he was almost certain her stubbornness would come, full-throttle, when she believed she was ready. He knew that the reason she was so bent on going with him to Bludhaven was because she felt she could handle crooks who _weren't_ super villains. And she made it clear enough: she was only going to protect him.

By all rights, he _had_ trained her and he _could_ say she was ready, but he was stubborn too, and he was hell-bent on protecting her because he loved her more than anything, and now that she knew it, he didn't have to keep that to himself. He could act like a protective boyfriend as much as he damn well pleased. He didn't care if she could handle the toughs; he didn't care if she was ready to fight beside him; he just didn't want Bludhaven's sleaze _touching_ her.

"You have tests to finish," he said, stubbornly.

"I will tell Dr. Meridian I need another day of rest."

"Bruce will have something to say about that if he finds out, and he _will_ find out. I don't even have to tell him."

"I _urge_ you to tell him, Dick Grayson, so that you could prove _him_ right; even if he sides with you on this, it won't erase the fact that your involvement with me is beginning to affect your judgment as a crime-fighter and a leader. Did he not tell you that having a woman would distract you? I know he did; he told me having a _man_ would distract _me."_

Robin grit his teeth. Starfire was being tougher than he expected and he cursed Bruce for giving her that weapon. "That's _not_ fair."

_"You_ are not being fair."

"Kori, I'm willing to play hardball with you on this one. If you want to hear Bruce say that you couldn't go, then _fine._ I'll tell him and I don't care what he thinks of me. I care about _you._ You hear me? I'm not going to let _anybody_ hurt you. Not in this life, or even the next one." He thought that would do it. He thought she would accept that, but he underestimated her.

She stepped forward, her shoulders tense with determination. "Go ahead and let Bruce tell me not to go, and _maybe_ the both of you could keep me here if you chain me to the wall and knock me unconscious, but remember that the moment you leave for Bludhaven without me, your judgment as a leader of a team could be questioned. Could you honestly still call yourself an impartial leader if you force this on me? Never mind what Bruce thinks about you. How would you think about _yourself? _You were so concerned that the titans would think you unfit to lead because of _us _and now you are doing the very thing that would prove what doubts they may foster correct."

He stared at her, fists clenched to his side. Starfire had brought out the big guns and it stung like anything.

This was the first time she insisted on helping the team in a potentially dangerous situation since she lost her eyesight. In the past she knew she would be a hindrance, but now that she had trained, now that she had the confidence to fight common crooks if not super villains, she was well within her rights to insist, and he doubted she would insist this much if it wasn't to protect him as well.

But his instinct to protect her screamed even louder and he refused to give in.

She stood unmoving, waiting for his reply.

He swallowed and prepared for the worse after he said what he had to say. "You're right. I can't go to Bludhaven alone. If I did that, it would be bad judgment on my part."

A small smile began to emerge from the corner of her lip. He closed his eyes against it.

"I'm taking Batgirl with me."

He heard her gasp and he hardened his heart.

"You _wouldn't." _Her tone was terrifyingly calm, and if he wasn't so determined to protect her, he would've buckled under the pressure.

"I would, and I will. You're not ready."

_Liar,_whispered a voice inside him. He frowned and told it to shut up. There was another way and it was as good a way as any, at least the way he saw it.

"I _am_ ready! Dick Grayson, you cannot do this! You cannot keep me from danger forever!"

"You need more training."

"I _knew it!"_ She sounded angry. "You never planned on putting me back out in the battlefield. Did you train me just to humor me? I might as well leave the team if you insist on treating me this way. Batgirl would be an _excellent_ replacement, wouldn't she?"

Robin wasn't going to let her trap him with that. "Stop right there, Kori. Nobody's leaving the team and _nobody_ wants you replaced. You want to protect me as much as I want to protect you. That's the only issue here. Well, now I'm protected, so you should have no objection to that."

"And if you take Batgirl, _I'm_ protected as well, but I have _every_ objection to that." She turned and walked off with surprising accuracy and swiftness.

"Kori–"

"Do not speak to me. I do not wish to speak to you."

Robin had every urge to turn and stop her, beg her to forgive him and then kiss and make-up, but he was so sure about his decision that he steeled himself; telling himself that she would see it his way, that he was right in protecting her; she just needed time to cool, that was all. He watched her disappear up the steps of the exit and then he heard the loud bang of a closing door.

He tried to get back to work; tried to focus, but all he could think about was that they had fought, and it had been a _real_ fight, not the kind of fight that involved _glemporks_ and misunderstandings about buying CDRWs. This was the kind of fight even guys like Batman got into with _their_ girlfriends.

Half an hour later, after realizing that his concentration had been shot to hell, he went to the kitchen to stuff his face. Alfred was there and he watched silently as Robin brought out some milk and a pack of double stuffed Oreos.

Setting himself up on the counter, Robin got some milk in a glass and began to dunk.

Alfred arched an eyebrow. "Those Oreos will spoil your appetite for dinner, Master Richard."

"I don't care," he muttered.

Alfred took another moment to observe him. "Well, as long as you are at it, I think Madam Koriand'r wouldn't mind spoiling her appetite either. I think she would have liked milk and Oreos."

Robin cocked a sardonic grin. "O-R-E-O," he said, just like in the old Oreo commercials.

His nonsensical reply was met by Alfred's schooled expression. "Yes, that is how it is spelled."

Robin barely heard him. What was so bad about wanting to protect her, anyway? It was practically his duty as her leader to make decisions like these. What was she so upset about? "K-O-R-I wouldn't want to have O-R-E-O with me. K-O-R-I thinks I'm a D-I-C-K."

"Couples fight, Master Richard. It is the way of things."

Robin didn't even ask how Alfred knew they were a couple. "It's not even because we're a couple. I just know we would have had this fight, regardless."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." He stuffed a whole Oreo in his mouth and ate it with a scowl. "I don't know," he added after a second thought.

"You doubt yourself."

He sighed, suddenly feeling defeated. "I just want to keep her safe."

"Goodness, Master Richard, I hope you did not do it Master Bruce's way." He said it with perfect calm, like an adult preempting a child, but Robin could tell there was a hint of annoyance.

Robin frowned. "What way?"

"When Master Bruce wants to protect his women, he simply breaks up with them."

Robin rolled his eyes. "What am I, an idiot? You're right, that _is _Bruce's way. I'm doing this _Richard's_ way. I didn't break up with Kori. I couldn't. Care for her too much. Bruce could call me selfish, if he wants."

"Ah, at least one of you grew up with better sense."

It made Robin chuckle, but his smile quickly disappeared. He massaged his forehead with his fingers. "But this is why Bruce doesn't like getting involved with women. It gets to a point that you love them so much that every nerve in you just–I don't know–yells for you to protect them, regardless of whether they're superheroes or not; whether they're blind or they could see... ah, shit. I screwed up." He lost an Oreo to the depths of the milk and he was about to fish it out with his fingers when Alfred held him by the wrist.

Alfred produced a fork and fished the Oreo out for him, throwing the drowned Oreo away.

"When you say you screwed up," said Alfred. "Do you mean to say you were wrong and owe Madame Koriand'r an apology?"

"Probably," he muttered. "But it's just that... well, see–I might have to go to Bludhaven tomorrow, and the thing is, she wanted to go with me to keep me company; to protect me if she has to, which is perfectly fine, because Bludhaven is a hell of a place to be alone in."

"Oh yes, I must agree."

"I trained her myself. _Maybe_ she's ready, but this is the first time I'll be putting her back out there since she–since she lost her eyesight. I don't know, Alfred. If anything happens to her, I'll never forgive myself. We were obviously worried about each other, so I came up with a solution. I told her I would bring Babs and she could stay behind, in the safety of the Wayne Tower. Problem solved. Kori doesn't have to worry about me and I don't have to worry about her."

Alfred nodded, openly pondering the matter. "A sound suggestion, I must admit, _but_..."

"I hate that word."

Alfred smiled, amused. "So does Master Bruce."

"With good reason. What's wrong with my plan, Alfred?"

"Technically, your plan to bring Madame Barbara and leave Madame Koriand'r is perfectly fine, but the reality of it is this: Unless you wish _Starfire_ to retire from the Titans, when else are you going to trust her to fight again? She _has_ to start sometime, and _sooner_ is better than later."

Robin took a deep breath. "Argh! I _did _screw it up! But I couldn't help it. I want her S-A-F-E, exclamation point."

"That is clear enough. Ultimately, I know you will do what you think is right. Your judgment, at least, is better suited to this type of situation than Master Bruce's."

Alfred left it at that, seeing to dinner.

After a while, Robin put away the Oreos and cleaned his glass, inverting it in the drying tray by the sink. "I'm going to go up to my room."

"Very well, Master Richard."

That was all Alfred said. Robin turned and left for the rooms. He found himself in front of Starfire's door and swallowing his pride, he knocked.

After a while, the door opened. She stood there a moment, neither of them saying anything.

"It's me," said Robin.

"I know. I could smell your cologne."

Robin was glad she hadn't slammed the door on his face.

"I'm sorry." They said in unison.

They were both surprised by it, but Starfire recovered quickly. Robin took more time to figure it out.

"I am sorry I said those things," she said, her head lowering. "My words were... hurtful."

He was still reeling when he said, "I made you say them. You had to so that I would listen."

"Still. I was not fighting fair. You could have–you could have said that I would get in your way. That I'd be a hindrance because I am the way I am. But you did not. You respected me. I did not treat you quite as well. You did not take advantage of my weakness, but I took advantage of yours."

Robin did not want to put that kind of blame on her. He said her name in a mildly scolding tone. He did not want her to feel such guilt on account of him. He took her in a reassuring embrace and it was nice to feel her embrace back.

"We could leave for Bludhaven some time after lunch. That's the best time, I think," he said as he held her.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I trust that you could watch my back, but mostly I'm going to have to trust that you could watch yours. This is the first time I'm putting you back out there since the accident and–it scares me, but I have to start believing in you, because if I don't do that, then that's like kicking you out of the team, and I don't want to do that. I'll never ever do that."

He felt her burrowing against his chest and he smiled at that. If felt good to be in her good graces again.

"We could take Babs, if you like," she suggested softly.

He chuckled. "We could, but we won't. This isn't her case. And if she finds out why she got brought into it, she'll never let me forget that I acted like a di–well..."

"Dick?"

"Who taught–?"

"Babs."

"Right. I should have known."

"I will not make you sorry you took me, Richard. I will be careful, and alert. You don't have to worry about me."

"That's ridiculous. I'll always worry about you."

She tilted her face up and kissed him. They allowed themselves to get lost in it until they were breathless.

Having kissed and made up, Robin suggested that they spoil their appetite for dinner with Oreos.

Starfire rewarded this suggestion with a dazzling smile and they made for the kitchen together.

88888888888888

Robin, the Boy Wonder, was back in Gotham. At least, that's what most of those who saw him avowed.

On his way to the labs the day following his argument with Starfire, Robin took the most isolated route to the back-lot of Wayne Tower, but even the most isolated roads of Gotham had pedestrians, and those that happened to be by on the hour Robin the Boy Wonder zipped by on the R-Cycle–rarely seen in the last two years–had to consciously ask themselves, "That was Robin?" before they accepted it as a statement of fact. Witnesses would find that friends and even family would be hard-pressed to believe them. After all, Robin and Batman clearly agreed to work separately, so there was no reason for Robin to come to Gotham, or was there?

Rumors, of course, had to begin somewhere. Robin the Boy Wonder's supposed gorgeous and fascinating sweetheart from Jump City, Starfire, had come to Gotham by invitation of the billionaire, Bruce Wayne. As it so happened, she had gotten _too friendly_ with the billionaire's ward, Dick Grayson. Naturally, Robin the Boy Wonder would have no such thing and hurried on over to Gotham to reclaim his love from the junior playboy who had learned his wily ways from none other than the _senior playboy_–or so the rumormongers postulated.

Oblivious to the impact of his reappearance, Robin came to a skidding halt just outside the industrialized backdoor of the building. He shut the motor.

Steadying the bike, he removed his helmet and flexed his face a bit. His mask was back, and strangely enough, he had to get used to it again.

He leaned forward on the motorcycle to wait and his costume gave a small squeak. He rolled his eyes and shook his head in disapproval. His Gotham-designed Robin costume was drastically different from what he wore in Jump City. Although the rubber and steel design of the Gotham costume was aerodynamically more sound, his Jump City costume was definitely way more comfortable.

It was essential for him to go as Robin in Bludhaven. In the few times he had gone there, he had been Robin and had kicked serious butt. Word got around; he had a reputation there that he shouldn't be messed with; he was willing to take full-advantage of that reputation. If they left him alone, they would leave Starfire alone and that was all that mattered to him.

He waited for Starfire to emerge from her morning in the labs. They had agreed the previous night that there was no sense in wasting half a day's worth of tests just because they would be spending a few hours in Bludhaven.

Moments later, the steel door of the ground exit opened and Starfire emerged with Dr. Meridian escorting her. Robin was surprised to find Starfire in something that looked like a costume.

It wasn't her usual bubblegum purple but a deep, rich violet. It covered more of her but it didn't make the costume any less thought provoking.

He blinked stupidly as she approached. "That's... a nice costume."

Starfire smiled at the sound of his voice. "Alfred made it for me when he was told we would be coming here to Gotham; in case I needed it, of course. Isn't he thoughtful?"

Robin nodded enthusiastically, admiring the way the costume clung to her body. "Very." He saw that Dr. Meridian was giving him a disapproving look and he blushed. "Thanks for bringing her out here, Dr. Meridian," he said, by way of covering up.

Dr. Meridian was willing to take it at that. "You're welcome, Robin. You two be careful, you hear? Bludhaven is worse than Godforsaken. I think even the devil left it behind."

Starfire leaned over Robin's ear as she sat herself behind him on the motorcycle. "He was... there?"

Robin chuckled, handing her helmet over. "In the worse way possible."

When Starfire's helmet was secure, Robin started the engine. They said their goodbyes to Dr. Meridian and they sped off, heading a hundred twenty miles per hour into the seediest of hell's gates.

888888888888

Bludhaven rested, or as Robin termed it, "bided its time" far south of Gotham City. While it was only forty five minutes away from Wayne Tower by the highway 61 bypass, it still felt too long a ride for him, whether or not Starfire's clinging comfort sat behind him. He headed to the St. Bernardine's church area where some semblance of peace and quiet could be found. He wasn't a religious guy, but amidst the filth and corruption of Bludhaven, one had to find refuge, somehow. As Godforsaken as Bludhaven was, religion was the only free drug around. Too bad it wasn't as addictive as the ones you had to buy off the streets.

There were kids and adults walking shifty-eyed and cautious at every turn. In the afternoon, Bludhaven could look as common as any city–unless one knew how to look.

Robin's gaze moved from side to side. He spotted a man exchanging handshakes with a boy his age. The boy looked gaunt and wasted.

_What are you into now, kid? Or is it still Crack you're shooting?_

In another corner, a woman in a scandalously cut dress spoke casually with burly middle-aged man and took his hand a second later to move into an alley.

_Quickies gotten any cheaper?_

Just off the sidewalk of the church block, a little girl crawled in the shadows and wept piteously, holding a ratty stuffed bear as if it were her only lifeline.

Robin's gaze softened. _Your daddy beating up mommy again?_

Bludhaven was an awful place to grow up in. That same little girl would never love her father, and if she didn't kill him herself, some other person would. When the little girl grew up; when she started going out with men, they would beat her up too. That was the kind of Freudian psychology that went around in Bludhaven.

"A child is crying," Starfire whispered, her embrace tightening momentarily. "She is lost?"

"She's alone."

"Perhaps we must help her."

"She doesn't want help. If you try to talk to her, she'll just run away to God-knows-where. This is probably the safest place she could be, and that's not saying much either."

Starfire fell silent. Robin got off the bike and helped Starfire dismount. He could see realization dawning on Starfire, that perhaps Bludhaven was as horrible as the stories told. "Perhaps we should not leave the cycle."

"They touch it and they get their ass kicked by me. Around here, they don't think it profitable to piss off Batman or Robin."

Two men wrapped snuggly in their thick fall coats passed them by, staring at him, then at Starfire. They said nothing, but they exchanged glances. They knew somebody's butt was going to get it today and they were only glad it wasn't theirs.

Robin pulled Starfire further back into the church alleys where many of the homeless of Bludhaven sought refuge. They were lined up against the grimy brick walls and some were huddled in groups, sharing a bottle of some cheap alcoholic concoction.

They walked right down the center of it all where from their vantage point, Robin could scan each and every face for the person he was looking for.

Starfire sniffed and wrinkled her nose. "Bad smoke."

"Just gets better, don't it?" Robin muttered. He crouched down over a man who looked particularly more lucid than everyone else. His clothes were worn through in places, but then he had on layers of old discarded coats and hats. He wasn't wearing gloves yet, but he had a bottle of old vodka tucked into his pocket. He wasn't drinking it, and Robin hoped it meant he wasn't drunk... yet. "You seen Johan?"

"Yeow Gan?"

"No, _Johan. _German dude."

The guy nodded and pointed to a stack of crates. At the top of it was a man sprawled out on his back looking about as ratty as everyone else. One foot was shoeless, and the socks he had on had holes, but he looked to be alive because he shifted on his bed, perhaps to find a more comfortable position.

Johan wasn't always so poor. He used to be a reasonably successful pimp in the seedier districts of Gotham, and while Robin had no respect whatsoever for his former profession, he was perhaps one of the fairer pimps, however fair pimps got. He got in trouble with the law when someone framed him for the rape and murder of a child. If Robin and Batman weren't so sure of his innocence, they would have let him rot in death row, but even a pimp didn't deserve to go down for rape and murder, so they helped him get out of the fix. Unfortunately, proving him innocent in court didn't help his career much. He lost the faith of his prostitutes, his larger clientele and his prostitute wife. Little by little, the rest of him disappeared as well until there was nowhere to go but Bludhaven. He lived off seeking and selling information. It was one of the most dangerous trades in the streets, but he was as crafty in this career as he was in the last one, even if this one was a lot less ludicrous.

Robin approached the stack of crates, Starfire's hand on his shoulder. He stopped, looked up and wondered how Johan got up the stack without breaking his neck. There was a higher platform, just a bit more elevated than the stack. There was no ladder; there were no steps. The only way to get on top of it was by a crane. He had a better idea. He turned to Starfire. "I need a lift."

She smiled, stepping in front of him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and he wrapped himself around her.

Robin heard the familiar sound of Tamaranian power collecting. It was much fainter than the ones she emitted when she fired bolts from her hands. These days, she needed more concentration to fly, just so she wouldn't shoot up unnecessarily high or smash into low ceilings.

He guided her as they rose into the air in a gentle glide and she arched gracefully to place them just slightly above the raised landing. Slowly, she lowered them.

Bludhaven's homeless stared at this new enigma in wonder. They had seen the likes of Batman, Batgirl and Robin flying through the air with acrobatic grace and state of the art gadgetry, but this was the first time they had seen someone fly at will. Tales of Superman and Wonder Woman were still legends to most them, as of yet.

Robin crouched down the edge of the high platform and pulled out his bo-staff. He extended it and used it to poke Johan from his sleep. "Hey. Johan. You alive?"

Johan groaned, complained and told Robin to fuck off.

"He is grouchy," remarked Starfire.

Robin chuckled. "Not when I'm through with him. Starfire, you're going to have to pardon my French. Johan! Hey! Wake the fuck up!"

Johan's eyes cracked open momentarily, a vile epithet already forming on his lips, but seeing Robin, and then Starfire, he sat bolt upright. _"Der mist!_It's the Bat Kid! I'm so glad to see you!"

There was nothing particularly German about Johan except his name and his expletives, but he was pretty much known as the German Guy by sheer force of habit.

"Right," said Robin. There were many things Johan could feel concerning Robin's reappearance in Bludhaven. Glad was probably not one of them.

Johan eyed Starfire warily, and then with lewd approval. "'Ey there, pretty lady. I could've used one of you back in the day–"

Robin's bo-staff flashed and halted just underneath Johan's chin; a place Robin's bo-staff had landed once before and had left him rasping for breath several hours after. "Can it, Johan. You know better than to say what you were gonna say."

Johan gulped. "J-Just admiring the view..." He gave Starfire another good look before shrugging helplessly at Robin.

Robin heard the shimmer of fire bolts charging in her hands and then it dwindled. He saw Johan pale before he pulled his gaze from Starfire. Robin smirked. "When it comes to her, I'm not the one you're supposed to look out for. We need to talk."

"Talk is _not_ cheap."

Robin smirked. "Johan," he said in a gently chiding tone. "As if we've never done business before."

"Been two years since. My prices have changed."

"Naturally. I'm a reasonable guy; more reasonable than Batman, but don't _fuck_ with me, Johan. You know how I hate it when you try." Robin twirled his bo-staff and its tip was suddenly pressed threateningly on the apple of Johan's throat. It had moved so fast that Johan had barely blinked before he found himself at the uncomfortable end of the stick.

Johan flinched but stayed in place lest any sudden movements gave Robin reason to hurt him. "O-Of course. Let's go down there. It's more private." He pointed gingerly to a space on the ground. It wasn't hidden, but it was more discrete than their currently elevated location.

This time, Robin didn't ask Starfire's help getting down. He locked his arm around Starfire's waist and swung them towards a broken pipe-line. The pipe bent under their weight, but it set then gently down. Johan clambered off his stack of crates more clumsily.

When Johan had both his feet on the ground, he shuffled to them and grinned obsequiously. "What'll it be today, Bat Kid? Dirt on the Bludhaven P.D.? Wanna know who's on the take this time around? Or maybe some interesting tidbits about Roland Desmond?"

Robin's eyes narrowed to slits. "If I wanted to know who's on the take in the Bludhaven P.D., I would have gone straight to police headquarters, and I don't particularly care about what Desmond is up to this time." Roland Desmond was Bludhaven's reigning crime lord and super villain, and right now, Robin wanted as little to do with him as he can. "I have a name, and I want to know how much information you could give me about him."

"How much you got?"

"Info before pay, wise guy. Not like I couldn't get the information from somebody else."

Johan scowled. "Fine. What's the name?"

"Maxwell Victoria."

Johan laughed. "You chasing small fry, now? That's what happens when you leave big bad Gotham for cutesy Jump City."

Robin arched an eyebrow. "I owe him some ass-kicking. What's it to you?"

"You know me, Bat Kid. I take information an' I sell it. I don't have to know the fuck why. Maxwell's gone; probably done in by one of the local mobsters. He has a lot of gambling debts and he was bound to disappear sooner or later. His body's gotta turn up some time soon if he's dead. Come back in another two weeks and I'll let you know."

_No thanks. _"How long since anyone last saw him?"

"'Bout three weeks going. Word is, he's already paid a considerable amount of his debts to the mob about a month or so ago, but he ain't done with the payments yet."

"Is it even remotely possible that he's still alive?"

"Sure. Not counting on it, though."

"How'd you know he didn't just come to his senses and leave this shit hole for something better?"

"His apartment's still got all his things there."

"Give me his address."

"It'll cost you."

"Dammit, Johan, quit wasting my time with all your preamble!"

"Okay, okay!" Johan reached into his coat and pulled out a worn notepad and a two-inch pencil. He wet the tip of the pencil on his tongue and began to write. When he was done, he tore off the page and handed it to Robin, folded over once.

Robin opened the slip of paper and read it. He gave Johan a warning glare. "This better be real, or else I'm gonna be so pissed off that I'll make sure you eat bratwurst through your ass for the rest of your sorry life."

Johan raised his hands in a placating gesture, rolling his eyes. "It's real, Bat Kid. What kind of informant would I be if I gave out false information?"

"A dead one. Have any idea which of the mobsters would have had the doing of him?"

Johan's toothy and grimy grin told Robin of the answer before it was uttered. "The best one, of course."

Robin cursed even more profusely. From the corner of his eye, he saw Starfire wince ever so slightly. Bludhaven always brought out the worse in him and this time especially, he couldn't help it. He couldn't afford to force a meeting with Desmond. A guy like Desmond was too much even for the entire Titan team to handle, much more when they were three members shy.

"However," continued Johan. "You don't have to go directly to Roland Desmond for information. He leaves small-fry like Maxwell to his Oversight Department of thugs."

That gave Robin some relief. He knew how these big bosses worked. They retained "collectors" and they paid such collectors a handsome some of money on a regular basis to take care of the small-time debtors. Usually, collectors were gangs and they always had a leader. "What're they called?"

"Blue Monkeys. They hang out in _Delirium_ a lot. Place is packed with druggies and hos twenty-four seven. Now's the perfect time to see 'em because half of them are usually stoned shitless at this hour. Just look for Prancer. He's their leader."

Robin knew where _Delirium_ was. It was a dark lounge room that sheltered the most annoying franchise bullies in town. He took special note of the name of the Blue Monkeys leader. "Prancer, as in the reindeer?"

"Yeah. His momma gave him the name and he stuck with it. Don't make stupid jokes about Santy Clause and shit. He hates that."

He nodded at Johan. Their business was concluded. He pulled a rolled wad of bills from his utility belt and tossed it at Johan. Johan caught it greedily and began to count it.

Johan looked like he was about to complain when Robin cut him off. "What did I tell you about fucking with me, Johan?" He knew what the snitch had been about to say. It was the old routine; how the payment was a pittance, but Robin knew the money was more than what Johan earned in a week. There should be no problem.

Johan sighed with martyr-like dismay. "Fine. I tell you... it's so hard to make a living these days."

"I bet."

Johan grinned, as if suddenly struck by inspiration, and leaned over to Starfire. Before Robin could stop him, he had whispered something in Starfire's ear that made her blush to her roots.

Robin didn't even see it coming. Starfire's retracted walking cane whistled and then whapped loudly against Johan's shins with a resounding ring. Johan crumpled to the ground with a cry of anguish.

Unsatisfied, Starfire pressed her knee to his back and grabbed his wrist, twisting it behind him. The wrist gave a crunch and Johan cried even louder.

_"Goddamn, bitch!"_

Starfire crouched low, speaking to him in her sunshiny tone. "I do not like to be spoken to so rudely. Perhaps the next time we see each other, you will be more polite, yes?"

"You fu–"

Starfire applied pressure again and the sickening sound of ligaments straining crackled in the air. Johan's excruciating yells made Robin wince.

"Yes! Yes, I'll be polite! I'll do whatever you ask! Just–"

"Say, 'Yes, ma'am!'," instructed Starfire perkily.

"Yes, ma'am! God! Now please let me go!"

Starfire did, taking her knee off him. She smiled and stood, placing her hand gingerly back on Robin's shoulder.

Robin smirked. "Don't say I didn't warn you, Johan."

Johan rolled over, groaning as he massaged his shaky wrist.

Robin led them out of the alley and back to where the motorcycle was. Just as he thought, it looked untouched and unmolested.

They got back on the motorcycle, securing their helmets.

"I hate this place," said Starfire.

"Me too."

He kicked the motorcycle to life and sped deeper into the black heart of Bludhaven.

88888888888888

Maxwell Victoria lived somewhere off Island street. He had a passable view of the docks but it wasn't exactly picturesque. The barges and oil tanks weren't pretty to look at and the rough and tumble laborers in the area lived to intimidate those of Maxwell's type with their oil-tank hauling muscles.

They found Maxwell's apartment building, which was a dilapidated-looking brownstone with rusty fire exits and metal doors. The hinges on the doors were greased to a buttery consistency; probably to appease what building standards Bludhaven required of its property owners.

When Robin and Starfire walked into the ringing silence of the apartment lobby, they were met by the dirty soles of a pair of shoes. Whoever owned those pair of shoes was whistling merrily behind the cover of the tall reception desk.

"It smells... very old in here," whispered Starfire.

Robin sensed her misgivings. It was the kind of place where people lived in if they were hiding from something, or the kind of place people killed themselves in when Christmas came around. Bad vibes. He gently grasped the hand she had on his shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly before he turned to talk to the underside of a shoe. "Excuse me. Some help here?"

"No, you can't use the bathroom and I don't have spare change," replied a bored voice.

Robin hated it when people got dismissive. He walked up to the desk and leaned over it.

The kid looked about his age, and he held a chewed up copy of an old Rollingstones magazine, but inside it, Robin could see pictures of very naked women. Robin arched an eyebrow, tapping on the table-top impatiently. "So you like Miss November so much that you can't even make decent conversation?"

The kid looked up from his magazine, poised to make a smart-ass reply when he saw who was standing in his lobby. "Holy shit!" he cried, sitting up and dropping his magazine. It fell to the floor with a papery splat. "Mr. Robin, sir! I'm sorry, I didn't–is that Starfire? I mean–Ms. Starfire, ma'am! It's such an honor to have you at the Seaside Apartments!"

Robin frowned. They didn't have time for pleasantries. "We'd like to see Maxwell Victoria's apartment."

The kid bit his lip. "I–I don't know..."

"Look, we could've just let ourselves in, but the windows were sealed shut, and I figured I didn't have to make you, or your boss, pay for repairs when you could just let us in through the door, right? It's not as if we would steal anything."

"Stealing is bad," remarked Starfire.

Robin didn't know what it was about Bludhaven that made Starfire's sweet demeanor seem so scary. The moment she spoke, the receptionist paled.

"M-My boss said I should only let those with a warrant in."

"We're not cops. If we were, we wouldn't be here, asking you nicely."

The Bludhaven police were not known for their gentility or their integrity, if they even had it.

When the kid began to fidget uncertainly, Robin rolled his eyes. It always boiled down to one thing. He pulled out a bill. The boy snatched it out of his hand and grinned. "Right this way, Mr. Robin!"

They were led to a groaning and primitive elevator; the kind operated by a lever.

The kid's name was Andy and he worked only part time at the building. Most days, he did janitorial work at the St. Bernardine's church. He was a big fan of the Titans, mostly because Robin was there.

Andy eyed Starfire curiously. Her accident wasn't a well-known fact. Whether the papers were reluctant to report it or whether Bruce had a hand in suppressing the information, Robin didn't know. All he knew was, not many knew that Starfire had lost her eyesight. Andy was probably wondering how Starfire could look so alive on paper while she looked so impassive in person. It didn't take a rocket scientist to understand her condition after a moment's thought. With one hand on Robin's shoulder, it soon became obvious that she couldn't see, but it only left Andy wondering: _So she's been blind all this time? _

They reached Maxwell's floor, and while the corridor was relatively clean, the walls and ceiling were definitely worn out. It needed more than a fresh coat of paint. Parts of it needed repairs; holes in the wall needed patching, bulbs needed replenishing and the water stains on the ceiling and its terminations along the walls showed that they needed waterproofing.

The door to Maxwell's apartment was locked, as expected, but Andy had the key. With a bit of jerking and pulling, the door swung open at its hinges.

"He hasn't been back for three weeks," said Andy. "And if he doesn't come up with payment at the end of the month, my boss'll bolt the door and wait another two weeks before he starts selling off Mr. Victoria's possessions. I get first dibs on his computer!"

Andy seemed very pleased by this, and with good reason. The computer was a desktop, but it was Alienware. The processor looked like a blue spaceship with black gills on the side and it had a sleek sheen to its aerodynamic casing.

Robin took some time to give it a look. "AMD Athlon sixty four with a three thousand five hundred speed processor. I'm guessing XP OS. Give me a minute, Star. I'm going to crack this baby." He led her to a chair as he said this and she took her seat.

Andy looked worried. "You're not going to hurt it, are you?"

Robin cocked a grinned. "I'll treat her like my own." He grabbed another chair and sat in front on the computer, switching it on. The processor was fast, and soon, he was ready to hack into it. He couldn't help checking the specs. "Eighty GB Seagate SATA with an eight MB cache... dual channel with a five hundred twelve MB DDR; SDRAM PC thirty two hundred..." He whistled. "ATI Radeon graphics card... _nice."_

"It's the best, yo. The boss is willing to sell it to me, cheap. He don't know how these things work."

"Lucky you."

"Robin, why do you have to hack into Maxwell Victoria's system?" Starfire asked.

"Oh, the personal PCs always a good source of information. Most times, owners log into websites with their passwords, or at least with their usernames, saved. I could easily figure out a password if it's not already stored–"

"You could do that?" asked Andy.

Robin looked at him a moment. "You know, you should wait outside."

Andy blinked and then made a face. "Okay. Sorry." He left.

Robin first checked through his hard drive and retrieved hidden files. Whatever criminal activities Maxwell had, he was smart enough not to store them in his computer, but he hadn't been paranoid enough to erase his internet history. Robin simply clicked the drop-down on the address bar of a browser and a plethora of Maxwell's usual net haunts overwhelmed him. They were mostly sites and forums relating to robotics and most of his accounts on those didn't need hacking to access. He browsed through forum posts and checked a few other sites on Maxwell's favorites. They guy didn't visit many porn sites, but he was loyal to one or two of them. What caught Robin's attention the most was Maxwell's online banking.

Robin chuckled. "Hello, Fleet."

"Who?"

"Fleet's a bank. They have branches and ATMs all over the place and they provide online banking for their customers. Wanna bet Maxwell uses it?"

"But Robin, do they not keep passwords for that?"

Robin couldn't help flash a cocky grin as he popped his fingers. "Oh, ye of so little faith."

She reddened. "I did not mean to imply that I have no faith–"

He chuckled. Starfire must be greatly unnerved by the entire place to be so edgy. He made sure that Andy wasn't peeping and he leaned over, running his hand soothingly on the back of her neck. "It was a joke, Star. Sit back and relax. Robin's at the helm."

Starfire smiled, the tension on her shoulders melting.

Seeing that he had lessened her tension, he went back to work. Figuring out Maxwell's password was easy. All he had to do was hack into the web-developer's system, create an algorithm from the present codes and discover which password matched with Maxwell's username. Robin had the password in five minutes.

He was soon looking at Maxwell's account history. Approximately two months ago, he made a large deposit of twenty five thousand dollars in his account. Before that, it was an unsteady stream of small bills ranging between fifty dollars to two hundred. The twenty five thousand dollars dwindled to approximately ten thousand after he made several bulk withdrawals.

_Guy was paying off his debts._

Two days after the Plasmus incident, another sum was deposited, this time for seventy five thousand dollars.

_He's been hired to do all this, _thought Robin grimly. _But who?_

A sum of twelve thousand dollars was withdrawn and then no further transactions had occurred since then.

_He's done with his debts. There were no partial payments; he completed payments on all his obligations here... why would he do that? He could just leave the place without settling anything and he gets to keep all that money. Unless... _

"The guy's planning to come back," said Robin in amazement. "He's gonna come back and live here, at least for a while if not permanently, and then he'll find himself a swanky place to live in, at least until he blows the rest of his money. Probably in Mexico..." Another thought hit him. "Or he could really be dead, after all."

Starfire frowned.

Robin rummaged through whatever papers he could find. He was elated when he found what he was looking for. He tore open a large envelope at the top of the pile and opened it. "American banking is grand."

"What is that?"

"Bank statements. Banks send over statements of your account every month in case you want to keep a paper file of your banking activities."

"How efficient!"

"Yep." He was about to lead Starfire out when his eyes fell on Maxwell's answering machine. It was the old kind, with a tape inside it. Apparently, Maxwell hadn't taken it upon himself to replace it for a newer model. He knew that he told Andy they weren't going to steal anything, but this was important.

He took the tape and gave it to Starfire. "Here. Keep this."

She took it and tucked it into her top through her collar. Robin _so _wanted to be that tape.

He didn't want to have to do what he had to do with the bank statements, but he had to find out if Maxwell was dead. There was only one way to make sure.

"Come on, Star. We're going to _Delirium."_

888888888888888

_Delirium _looked about as welcoming inside as it was outside. It was a squat, one story box building with boarded up windows and a bad paint job.

When Robin rolled his motorcycle up front, never minding that it would get in the way of other cars, the welcoming committee consisted of a group of S&M-clad men and women who were either dog-collared or holding the other end of one. They glared at him suspiciously from where they stood, flashing chains and steel knuckles. Starfire followed him, her fingers on his shoulder tensing when their audience pressed the slightest bit closer around her. They were of the exotic persuasion, and with Starfire's bright red hair and golden skin, she was certainly worth their time.

As much as Robin wanted to pull her close, he knew that would be a bad idea. There was no need to let them think they could get to him through her. He was better off projecting that he didn't have to worry about her, because she could take care of herself. If they could tell she was blind, it was all the more reason for _them_ to watch out for her, because everyone knew Robin the Boy Wonder had the sense _not_ to bring a helpless weakling in the middle of Bludhaven, and certainly not in _Delirium._

The crowd inside the lounge parted to let them pass. He wasn't exactly a regular there, and he didn't know what Prancer looked like, but he knew enough about these gangs to spot the signs of where Prancer would be situated and who he was.

Robin followed the direction of everyone's eyes as they shifted to him and to wherever Prancer was. These guys knew that Robin didn't show up in Bludhaven unless he was looking for someone, and it was usually the little bosses he went after, too.

The smell of marijuana was thick in the air and Robin hoped it wouldn't affect Starfire too much. Her zen-trained sense of smell would certainly pick up on it, but unless she held her breath, she couldn't exactly keep it out of her system.

Just as he predicted, the crowd led him to an alcove-type table filled with scantily strapped women, big guys in suits and a well-built man sitting at the certain of it all.

On both sides of him hung women who wore—well, more clothes. They clung to the fur lapels of his dark-red coat. His hair fell in dreadlocks and his goatee was shaped perfectly to compliment his smooth, chocolate skin. He stared out at Robin and Starfire with yellow eyes, like a cat's, and for all of it, Robin had no idea why they called themselves the Blue Monkeys, because they weren't blue and they didn't look like monkeys.

A round, hairless bulk of a man stepped in front of Robin. Sensing him for the threat that he was, Starfire stepped between them, her hand shimmering green.

"Duke. Heel," came a silky voice from beyond the man-wall. "Let the Boy Wonder and his bitch pass. I'm in the mood to meet superheroes."

For a moment, it seemed that Duke _wasn't_ in the mood to meet superheroes, but Starfire's hand glowed even brighter and Duke felt the flare of heat from it. It didn't take him long to realize what Starfire's powers could do. He stepped away, eyeing Starfire with contempt.

Robin dealt him a glare before turning his attention to Prancer.

"Well, I'll be," said Prancer leaning calmly over the edge of the table. "She ain't just any superhero; she's the famous Starfire. Mmm, you a _fine bitch."_

Robin saw Starfire's cheek twitch in outrage but she merely made a sound of disdain, as if to show he wasn't worth her time.

Robin had little choice but to take the same stance as she did. These guys weren't like Johan. He could disrespect Johan and still get what he wanted; but the Blue Monkeys would not allowed themselves to get bossed around by a teen do-gooder without a fight, a fight Robin wanted to avoid. "For your sake, Prancer, you better start calling her by her name."

Prancer smiled. "Or you'll what?"

Robin smirked. _"Me?_ Who said anything about me?" He jerked a thumb over his shoulder at Starfire. _"She'll_ kick your ass."

She gave a toothy grin.

Prancer arched an eyebrow, not sure what to make of Starfire's upbeat demeanor. Finally, he leaned back and picked up a glass of champagne. "What are you doing in my town, Boy Wonder?"

_"Your town?"_

"That's right. _My town."_

Robin smirked and let his lack of response to it speak for itself. "I want to know if Maxwell Victoria is still alive."

Prancer gave a throaty laugh. "Am I supposed to know this Maxwell Victoria?"

Robin pretended to think about it and punctuated it with a casual shrug. "I should think so. He owes your boss a lot of money."

"Prancer does not have a boss."

Robin rolled his eyes. He hated it when these weirdos began to refer to themselves in the third person. "What's wrong? Roland Desmond fire you?" On his side, Duke advanced, and near Starfire, a thug just as large as Duke took a step towards her. Her power shimmered with great intensity, sending a heat-wave through the room.

A strange hush followed and Robin couldn't help but grin. These guys were more short tempered than he thought, but they were easy to train, too; like dogs. Already, they understood the consequences of crossing him and Starfire.

"Roland Desmond is a _client," _Prancer articulated. "He is not the owner of me."

"I'm sure he'd be thrilled to hear that. He'll also be happy to know that you're skimming off his money. Maxwell settled his debts, didn't he? How much of the twelve thousand did you take? Twenty five percent? _Fifty_ percent?" It was a guess, but a calculated one. The word out on the street was that Maxwell Victoria hadn't fully paid his debts, but with the amount of money Maxwell had, Robin doubted Maxwell would leave any debts hanging. It was either the information out on the streets was wrong or the Blue Monkeys had taken it upon themselves to get a cut off the profits and sell Maxwell short. Roland Desmond would _not_ be pleased to hear that his collectors were kicking-back on him. "I'm kinda surprised Desmond believed you when you told him Maxwell didn't pay in full. Did you have to kill Maxwell just so you could keep your cut?"

Prancer shot daggers out of his eyes. "Whoever gave you that information is scraping for a buck. Your rat cheated on you, Boy Wonder."

Robin wasn't about ready to get pushed off-track. Whatever the truth was, he had struck a nerve. "I have proof that shows Maxwell had the money to pay off all his debts. Desmond would be glad to get a tip in the mail; maybe a bank statement showing him that Maxwell made a withdrawal in the exact amount he owes." He pulled out the folded bank statement and waved it casually like he would a fan. "Why, I wouldn't want to be a Blue Monkey when _that_ happens."

Prancer growled, eyeing the paper in Robin's hand. "Whadaya want, kid?"

"Simple. Is he, or isn't he dead?"

"We didn't kill him and we know for a fact that he isn't dead."

"Oh. Been talking to him a lot lately?"

"Not lately, but we know he's in on something. He been paying all the other sharks off. His debt to Desmond only became due last month."

Robin smirked. "And he only paid Desmond _partially?"_

"That's right, Boy Wonder."

Robin didn't buy it, but it hardly mattered now. Prancer was talking. "Any word on where he was getting all that cash?"

Prancer frowned. "Some dude named Wilson's been paying him for some science shit. Weird first name."

Robin froze and Stafire's grip on his shoulder tensed. _It couldn't be... _he thought with a deep current of horror, and then fury. _"Slade_ Wilson?"

"Right on."

Robin had to control his breathing for a moment. Maybe he should have assumed it was Slade all this time. After all, there was Cinderblock, and then Plasmus. It sounded like the kind of thing Slade would do, but then it was so obvious that it _wasn't_ like Slade. What the hell was going on?

"We're done here," said Robin. "I appreciate your cooperation, Prancer. Maybe next time we'll stay longer and have a few drinks with you."

"I'll look forward to it. But Boy Wonder, you wouldn't happen to be nice enough to hand over that bank statement you so happily planned on mailing to Desmond, would you?"

Robin sneered. "I think I'll keep the copy handy for now."

"I don't think so." Prancer stood from his seat and dealt him a menacing glare.

Robin smelled battle and his thoughts screamed to protect Starfire. "Starfire–"

"You worry overmuch," she said calmly. She turned, pulling her walking cane from its holster at her hip and pressed the button beneath the Pokemon. The cane extended, punching right through the thug who had surged forward to attack her. The thug caught it right in the gut and he doubled over. Robin always wondered whether Cyborg got around to configuring her walking cane. Robin guessed he didn't.

She swung the cane in another direction, connecting with the head of another attacker and sent him sprawling to the ground.

Robin grinned, his confidence for Starfire surging. He saw Duke come at him and Robin turned a back flip, letting the force of his foot catch Duke under the chin. In mid-flight, he pulled out his bo-staff and used it to give Duke another hit to the neck for good measure. Duke grunted, falling over dazedly. Robin saw the others already pulling guns out. He knew it was only a matter of time. He snatched out his smoke bombs and threw it at the group of armed thugs.

The bombs exploded and screams began to emanate from within the haze, but the thugs did not emerged, probably too confused to move.

Someone caught Starfire from behind, wrapping arms around her. She slammed her head backwards and she was released, her attacker stumbling with a bleeding nose. She turned for a back kick, catching him on the side of his head and he fell to the ground unconscious.

Elated and proud of his protégé, Robin jumped over a hulk of a man heading straight for him. He leaped-frog over the man's shoulders, clamped his hand's firmly on the guy's head and brought the thug with him in a forward roll. The man slammed face-down into the ground.

Someone fired a shot and it bounced off the walls. Loud curses could be heard through the din and another shot sounded. If it wasn't for the smoke, Robin knew there would be shots everywhere.

Even if they could fight off most of the Blue Monkeys, the place was too packed for them not to hurt innocent bystanders.

"We have to get out of here," yelled Robin over the panic. "Could you blow a hole through the roof?"

Starfire nodded and reached out to him. "Grab hold!"

He did, wrapping his arms around her.

She raised a fist up over her head and collected her power. The milling crowd pulled away, afraid of what her powers could do. She released a bolt and it exploded against the ceiling, creating a gaping hole. Debris shot everywhere and away from them. More screams rang out and sunlight spilled into the dark lounge.

Starfire heaved them up through the opening as quickly as she could, but knowing the limitations of her condition, she set them down on the roof quickly. Robin took it from there. He shot a birdarang around a light post and pulled its rope taut. Holding Starfire against him, he swung them around and used the light post as leverage to set them down on the ground. They landed just off the motorcycle.

Robin swung Starfire on the seat and then placed himself, kicking the motorcycle to life. Slamming on their helmets, he took them out of there, getting as far away from _Delirium _as possible.

To be continued...

* * *

Closing notes: Of course, I made Pennsworth up. I don't want to offend real Ivy Leaguers. It does bear mentioning that while I based the name on the University of Pennsylvania, Pennsworth is in no way a reflection of the U of P campus, culture and standard, and I do mean that in the best possible way, too. They're not even on the same coast. I placed Pennsworth nearer to Jump City than Gotham, so there.

Also, if you noticed, I changed the rating on the fic. It is now officially R. No, not for sex... don't get your hopes up! Haha! Just for language. Bludhaven brings out the worse in me and Robin, so it couldn't be helped. Robin couldn't be squeaky clean and survive Bludhaven. It's a nice little foreshadowing of Robin's future career as Nightwing, yes? ::wink::


	16. Familiarities

Standard disclaimers apply.

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.**

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Sixteen - Familiarities**

Robin knew they didn't have the luxury of dallying in Bludhaven now that Prancer was on the rampage. While Robin wasn't particularly afraid of glorified bullies, he didn't relish a brawl that would have the two of them going up against hoards of gangsters. This was Prancer's territory and whether he owned the town or not, the Blue Monkeys were almost certain to have a large following. He did, however, need to make one last stop, and if Johan was cooperative, it didn't have to take very long.

He parked the motorcycle less conspicuously near St. Bernardine's church and told Starfire they had to be quick. They may be in a hurry, but he wasn't leaving her alone either.

They hastily made their way to the back alleys and Robin immediately took to scanning the faces of the many homeless men scattered all around them. It was Johan who spotted him.

"Bat Kid! Twice today! I feel special."

"Just shut up and listen," said Robin. He swiped out a communicator and gave it to Johan.

It wasn't at all like the ones the titans had. This one was a small, penlight type of device that was meant to connect with Robin's communicator alone. Its signal was untraceable and it was meant to be given away to those he wanted to keep in touch with for one reason or another. He could terminate its use anytime he pleased, from anywhere in the world. It was inappropriate to say that the gadget was disposable, especially since it cost so much to make, but it wasn't meant to be gotten back once it was handed over to somebody else.

"Keep it with you at all times. It's a communicator; use it to contact me. I want you to keep your eyes and ears open for Maxwell Victoria. Tell me everything and anything you learn about him from hereon out."

He gave Johan quick instructions on how to use the communicator, made sure that Johan understood and then gave Johan another wad of bills.

"Every time you give me information I could use, I'll send you some cash. You got that?"

Johan nodded eagerly, grinning from ear to ear. "This is the nicest thing you've ever done for me, Bat Kid."

"Get over it. Lest you forget, I get to decide what your information is worth."

Johan's smile quickly disappeared.

"The moment Victoria's back in town, let me know. No dallying, no delays. You hear me, Johan?"

"Yeah, yeah. I hear ya'."

"Don't lose that thing or you won't be able to contact me. You lose it and I'll come on back over here just to—"

"Whoop my butt… bratwurst… rest of my life. _I know!"_

"Good; goes without saying that you'll tell no one about this. If you're going to screw me, Johan, you better make sure it kills me. So help me, I'll make you sorry I lived to be pissed about it."

Johan gulped visibly and began to simper about how he would _never_ do anything to put Robin in danger.

Robin knew better than to believe him, but if there were two things Johan understood, it was money and saving his own ass. If Robin played those cards right, Johan wasn't going to sell him out anytime soon.

Starfire tugged at his arm. She was stressed, and for good reason. The longer they stayed, the higher the chances were that someone from Prancer's connections would spot them and give them trouble. If they were going to leave, they had to leave in a hurry.

Turning without saying goodbye, they made their way out of the alley and back to the motorcycle, speeding out of Bludhaven as fast as they could.

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It was already dark by the time they reached midtown Gotham. Autumn evenings were growing longer by the day and while it was only approaching five, the neon lights of the city were already a bright contrast to the black sky.

Robin used the back roads of the city, usually less frequented by motorists and pedestrians, and in midtown, they were not the least bit isolated. It was only after one reached the Upper East Side, a bit past Monolith Square, did the bustle of Gotham wane.

Although Starfire had assured him several times that she was okay, he was anxious to get back to the Bat Cave and make sure she wasn't lying.

As much as he wanted to make a pit stop, he had learned, under Batman's tutelage how getting from one place to another was best done uninterrupted.

Almost two hours since they last left Bludhaven, they were finally speeding through the underground tunnels leading to the Bat Cave. They were in the cave ten minutes later and when they came to a stop, Robin looked over his shoulder at her.

"We're here."

Her grip on him eased and she sighed. "Finally! That was a rather long ride."

They removed their headgear.

"Yeah. Couldn't stop. There was no reason to." He got off the bike and looked her over secretly, just in case she was hiding any injuries from him. She seemed unhurt. The trouble, he learned, with these Titans was that they were never quick to admit injuries unless those injuries were glaringly obvious. Even Beast Boy, who made dramatic proclamations about the smallest scratch complained less, the graver the injury was.

She dismounted and gingerly placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright, Richard?"

That snapped him out of his musings and he took her hand from his shoulder, holding it against his chest. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

Starfire said nothing for a moment, as if choosing her words. "I—I just—when Prancer said Slade's name…"

Robin's cheek twitched. When Prancer said Slade's name, he couldn't explain _what_ when through him. It was a mixture of apprehension, anticipation and rage. Slade was, and always will be, a formidable enemy, and while it was something to be wary about, it had always been Robin's particular frustration to have Slade slipping through his fingers. And now here was Slade again. Robin wanted more than ever to put Slade away for good.

He had sworn, the moment it became clear that something deeper than berserker super villains was afoot, that someone was going to pay for what happened to Starfire and Robin couldn't think of a person more deserving of his wrath than Slade Wilson.

He had promised Starfire before that no one would ever consume him again the way Slade did; not even Slade himself, and he prided himself of the fact that he had learned his lessons from Red X well; had applied those lessons when it came time for him to fight for his friends. When Slade took Terra, it had been sudden, and quick. He believed that he had been cured of the Slade-bug for good, but there was that ever present doubt that maybe, just maybe, things had happened too quickly for him to have time to obsess.

So now Slade's name had resurfaced once more and Robin already felt the familiar tingling of _need_ to make Slade pay; an inkling of that all-encompassing chill that fell upon his emotions whenever his determination surged unheeded.

As he looked down Starfire's unseeing eyes, he struggled to remind himself of what he had promised her.

It was still easy to gain control, he had to admit. There were still too many unanswered questions; too many possibilities. Right now, Slade was no more than a shadow cast by one named Prancer, a person Robin wouldn't trust for anything, but it was enough to lead him down the path. He would have to take the road, whether or not he wanted to find out if Slade was really behind it.

"Reflex," said Robin in response to the misgivings behind her words. "Like spitting out something that tastes bad." He was trying to make light of it; because seeing her worried made the horrible possibilities more tangible.

The absence of a smile on her face was palpable. "We are not yet certain there is any credence to Prancer's information."

"That's what I keep telling myself."

"But if there is…"

"Slade's going _down," _he promised, his tone menacing.

"Richard, just remember that we will all do this together—"

"I know that already."

"Yes, but you must also remember to do this for all the right reasons."

Robin arched an eyebrow. "And what sort of wrong reasons would I have?"

She said nothing for a few seconds. "Revenge; because this happened to me."

He didn't have the gall to deny it, but he was determined enough to accept the inevitable. "It's as good a reason as any to put him away."

"No. Driven by revenge, you could—you could get lost in it again."

"I already promised you before that I wouldn't. I promised _myself."_

Starfire sighed, and then she smiled, leaning against him. He wrapped his arm around her, realizing that while he wanted to keep his promises, he couldn't possibly do it without her or the rest of the team. He needed their support; hers most of all.

He tilted her face up for a kiss and he was mildly surprised at how he had to mentally shed the mask to get lost in Starfire's touch. Did he think so differently as Robin that he had to consciously summon Richard for something so simple and natural as a kiss? Perhaps he did, and he marveled at this realization before he let the deepening touch envelope him in its pleasurable haze.

A soft but distinct beeping sound invaded the intimacy and they separated reluctantly. Robin unhooked his communicator from his belt and switched it open.

"Robin here."

"Where are you?"

It was Bruce.

Robin stifled a roll of his eyes. "We're in the Bat Cave. We just got back in."

"Good. Have Starfire up here in ten minutes. Dr. Meridian is here to see her."

"She'll be there."

"And I'll see you in ten."

Bruce signed off. Robin supposed that last remark meant Bruce wanted him up there as well. He sighed wearily. He didn't need to tell Starfire what Bruce had said. She heard everything.

Starfire smiled, toying with some locks of his hair before she let her finger run against the mask on his face. "I do believe this is the first time I kissed you with a mask on."

He cocked a small grin; it was an odd thing for her to say. "Did it feel different?"

She chuckled. "At first, and then you were yourself again."

So she had noticed.

"Do you think Richard so different from Robin?" she asked.

He paused, considering his reply. "They're not different in essence, of course. But it has to seem that way on the surface..."

She nodded. "It is not surprising, really. We talked about this in the viewing room, did we not? That it is important that you be Robin first, especially when the others are around."

"Yes." To a certain degree, he wished it did not have to be that way, but he supposed that extraordinary people couldn't expect to lead ordinary lives. While underneath it all, Robin and Richard was one and the same person, it was important that to others, they be made distinct. His role as a leader demanded it. He only wished Starfire would not think it such a burden.

She reached up and planted a tender kiss on his cheek before she told him to make haste. "I do not wish to keep Dr. Meridian waiting."

He was willing to let the discussion drop for the meantime. He wasn't sure about what he wanted to say.

He led her to the girls' locker room where she could slip out of her costume, shower and put on some casual clothes.

Before she disappeared through the locker doors, he called to her and she stopped in her tracks.

He cleared his throat. "I just want you to know that you did really well out there. Not just in fighting, but overall… you held your own. Made me proud."

Her smile was radiant, though her cheeks burned red. "Thank you. I—I had an excellent teacher."

Robin chuckled. "Grasshopper, you do your teacher honor. You know of course that flattery will get your everywhere, especially with me, but this doesn't mean you could _always_ go haring off to battle with us. You have to keep training—"

She giggled. "Understood, but we will argue about the rest of it when we get to that point, Richard."

He grunted. "Probably."

Her soft laughter faded as the locker doors closed and Robin smiled to himself. He stepped into boys' locker room and walked down the short hallway, passing costume versions of Batman and Robin. He looked at one of his; perhaps the earliest design.

It belonged to a time when he was more Richard than Robin; when he had to exert effort to put on the cloak of a superhero's sidekick.

_Like __Gotham__ in the spring, when nights grew short. _

It was only after years of fighting crime that Robin, as a personality distinct from Dick Grayson, became more natural.

He peeled off his mask and looked at it resting ominously in his hands. He didn't want to become like Bruce Wayne, whose costume had become the playboy billionaire instead of the bat, but even if he chose to become Richard first before Robin, how much of that was within his control?

Robin left the question unanswered as he walked away from his old costume.

Nights grew longer in Gotham during the fall.

_But was it possible for the knight to become permanent?_

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Robin crouched in front of the fireplace and nudged the burning pinewood with a poker. Sparks rose gently in the air before they disappeared back into the flames. The heat was comforting with the room colder than he would have liked.

_Old Bats always liked a bit of chill in his study._ Robin never understood it.

_Cold could make you numb,_ came a thought, unbidden.

He looked up at the sound of Bruce tossing cubes of ice into a scotch glass.

Robin stood, glancing furtively at the door. Starfire and Dr. Meridian were in the library. Whatever Dr. Meridian had to say to Starfire, she preferred that it remain private for the meantime.

As for Bruce, Robin still didn't know what he had in mind.

"At least tell me if Dr. Meridian's giving Kori good or bad news," he said, leaning against the fireplace.

"Good news," replied Bruce without hesitation. "Trident is going to cooperate."

Robin blinked, surprised. "You're kidding."

"Nope."

"How'd Dr. Meridian do it?"

Bruce turned from the bar and shrugged. "That's pretty much what Dr. Meridian is telling Kori right now, just so your girlfriend won't beat herself up over Sea Slug when we find a cure for her."

"So there _is_ a cure?"

"A possibility. A good one."

Robin took a moment to absorb this. "Well, what is it then?"

Bruce took his time in answering, seating himself on his desk chair and making himself comfortable. Robin waited patiently.

"Drink?" asked Bruce.

Stifling a growl, Robin shook his head.

Finally, Bruce was ready to begin. "I understood from the reports of your first encounter with Trident that he had managed to multiply himself."

"Yeah. He made clones; perfect ones. It's the reason he was stealing so much toxic waste."

Bruce nodded. "Well, that's the technology we needed from him and he will willingly share the details of this technology with Dr. Meridian. It seems Trident has issues about his mother. Whatever deal Dr. Meridian struck with him regarding the shrinking of his head, it worked, and that's all that matters. What's important is that we could duplicate Trident's breakthrough and—"

"Hold on a second. How is cloning going to help Kori?"

"Stem cell regeneration."

Robin wracked his brain for a connection. "Stem cells… precursor cells that could divide and develop into other kinds of cells or tissues; usually harvested from embryos and bone marrow. Are you saying you're going to replicate Kori's eyes?"

"Not the whole eye. Just her retina and macula; where the damage occurred. If we could reintroduce the stem cells into the damaged tissue, we might be able to repair it and quite possibly get Kori's eyesight back."

He stared at Bruce, mouth hanging open. "That easy?"

Bruce chuckled. "There's nothing easy about it, _Dick. _Stem cell and Embryonic research have been on-going for years, but the developments are slow because the human—or should I say—Earthling biological make-up is fragile; wrought with complex factors that get in the way of advancement. Even with Trident's unprecedented success in cloning, his formula and calculations couldn't be applied to humans but… Kori's alien biological make-up might prove to be more receptive. Of course, at this point, it's all theoretical. It's why my scientists are there. They have to find a way to turn theory into reality."

Robin's optimism went down a notch. "So you're not sure if this is going to work."

"Naturally. Nothing is certain until it's certain."

Robin nodded, accepting it.

Bruce made himself more comfortable on his seat. "So how did Bludhaven go?"

The change of topic was somewhat jarring, but Robin was willing to accept it as well. There was no use dwelling on the possibilities of Starfire's treatment when it was now out of their hands.

"Sucked, like always," Robin replied.

"The usual suspects?"

Robin eyed Bruce suspiciously before deciding that Bruce couldn't possibly know that Slade's name had come up. "You could say that. Only, I didn't exactly expect to hear this _particular _usual suspect all the way in Bludhaven."

Bruce arched an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

"Slade Wilson's name was mentioned."

Bruce quirked an eyebrow, taking a sip of his scotch. "It's the worse ones that keep turning up, believe me. And in the most unlikely places, too."

"I haven't heard from Slade in months. There wasn't a single rumor of him before this. Maybe I've been a bit off-tangent of late. Things have been going easy in Jump City."

The billionaire shrugged, swirling the ice in his scotch glass. "Maybe. Or you could also say he's gotten a bit sharper since the last time you met. How many times have you foiled him?"

"Twice."

"Three's a charm."

Robin grunted.

"So do you need my help bringing down Slade?" asked Bruce.

"Do you need my help bringing down the Joker?"

"Point taken."

They fell silent, sinking into their own thoughts.

Robin sneaked a peek at Bruce and watched the billionaire's features sink into the shadows. The man liked to hide in the dark, that was for sure, and perhaps it _was_ because he had too many secrets.

_But not from me,_ thought Robin with a small smile. _There's nothing he could hide from me, anymore; known him for too long; tried to be better than him for too long._

"Hey, Bruce."

"Yes?"

"I know I've already thanked you but… but I sort of did that grudgingly the first time. Now I'm really thanking you. Whatever happens; whether Kori sees again or not… thanks."

Robin could see Bruce's eyebrow shooting up in the dimness.

"You're welcome."

Silence fell upon them again and Robin hadn't counted on it being somewhat uncomfortable. To compensate, Robin came out with another thought that had been nagging him since he had his argument with Starfire.

"But I can't believe you told Kori that she's better off not involved with me!"

Bruce took up the discussion, almost in relief. "I didn't tell her she was better off uninvolved with you. I told her she was better off uninvolved, period. I figured you'd feel better about that. It means I'm not picking on you; that I'm an equal opportunity lecturer."

"Too bad for you, Kori doesn't buy into your brutal philosophies."

"Don't say I didn't warn the both of you…"

They continued on this thread until they talked it out and moved on to other things they could argue about. When dinner came around, Dr. Meridian and Starfire joined them, but Robin and Bruce were too intent on having the last word to include either woman in the discussion. If they weren't so entertaining, Starfire or Dr. Meridian would have stepped in and put a stop to it.

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Consequently, Robin and Bruce didn't exactly part ways from dinner amicably, but the bite of their words rarely carried on to the next day. They would disagree about other things when next they fell to talking, none the worse from their last discussion.

It was only when Robin escorted Starfire to her chambers did he get around to talking to Starfire about Trident. Robin was surprised when Starfire pulled him into her room to continue discussing the topic.

She sat on the bed and patted the space in front of her. Mildly uncertain, he sat facing her, leaning against the bedpost.

Starfire was smiling and comfortable, obviously bereft of any of the concerns he harbored. It was only after this brief analysis that he began to relax.

"Dr. Meridian's news presents good possibilities," she said, tracing the pads of her fingers on the fine embroidery of a nearby pillowcase.

Though Starfire was an optimistic person by nature, Robin could tell that the realities of her situation were not lost to her. They talked about it briefly, never really crossing the line that marked pure hope. She was easy to read on that aspect. Starfire's emotions were almost always there for all to see.

"Would you be so disappointed if this doesn't work out?" he asked.

She paused to think about it. "Not _so_ disappointed. Only a bit. I have learned to cope with this disability quite well and the prospect of never seeing again no longer frightens me, nor does it seem like such a burden anymore. So if there is no solution to my condition, I will feel somewhat bad for a while, but I will most certainly get over it quickly."

"Expect the worse and hope for the best?"

"Oh, I hope within reason. You, Bruce and everyone else have done so much for me. It is only right that I honor that by hoping."

Robin smiled fondly. Remembering their discussion in the cave, about her being with someone like him whose responsibilities asked so much of him that he had to separate his mind from his heart; it occurred to him that Starfire didn't make that kind of distinction. To her, the heart and the mind were one and maybe that was why he was so drawn to her. "You're such a sweetheart, Kori."

Starfire reddened considerably and he watched her, endeared. Thoughts of _them_ overcame him and he leaned over, gently cupping her face in his hands. "I'm not the easiest boyfriend to have. Being Robin, I could be bossy, impassive… _majorly neurotic _and control freakish…"

She raised a protesting finger. "Protective… thoughtful…"

"Like I said: Neurotic."

She laughed softly.

_"Robin _is the freak you all affectionately call 'leader'."

_"Fearless_ leader—"

He made a loud "Ahem!" and Starfire stopped speaking, biting down a grin. Arching an eyebrow and stifling his own smile, he continued. "Robin isn't exactly a likable guy; heck sometimes _I _don't like me, but it's the only way I know to keep everyone from getting killed… more or less."

She tilted her head to the side. "I understand this."

"Do you also understand that Richard isn't that far off from what Robin is? Maybe Richard is a bit nicer; less critical; more human. A lot of the time here, I've been more Richard than Robin, but back at the tower… it's going to be a little different. When we get back to Jump City—" he paused "—don't ever think that I've begun to stop caring. It's just that I have to… _be. _You'll always be at the back of my mind, even if it looks like I've forgotten everyone but the bad guy."

Her smile lost a bit of its luster, but it was still there. "I understand this, as well. I know it will be difficult, but it would take much more than my fearless leader to scare me. I _know _you now, much more than the others. Nothing will change that."

Her words were a balm to his concerns. They would want each other's sweet assurances again, probably many more times, but their words on this night would hold for far longer than they could imagine.

He kissed her; a soft, undemanding touch intended to be quick, but it lingered and gained heat. Before he knew it, he had her pressed against the pillows and his mind was quickly spinning into absolute abandon. It did not help that Starfire wasn't the least bit hesitant about the entire thing either.

His thoughts made wild assurances that going too fast was "perfectly alright"; that everything would absolutely be fine in the morning, because really, what was so bad about waking up in a bed with the woman you made love to naked in your arms?

She made a sound that did nothing to calm his spiraling thoughts. He had held Starfire close before, and her muscles were firm; almost steely, but he was overwhelmed by how soft she suddenly was, especially beneath the touch of his hands and the press of his body.

He groaned, and his shirt felt unbelievably hot against his skin. He felt her fingernails rake lightly against the skin of his hips, just above the belt of his pants and the intoxicating possibilities might have drowned out his cognitive self if it hadn't been followed by the sound of an all-too-familiar beeping.

Starfire froze beneath him.

Robin's libido screamed to ignore it, but the sound was persistent, and summoning all his willpower, he took a deep breath, growled a bit and dug into his pocket to pull out the communicator. He looked at the frequency. "It's Cyborg."

Starfire slid out from under him, her face a bright scarlet. Her breathing was slightly uneven as she said, "Well then, we must take it."

"Of course," he muttered, slowly pushing himself up to sit. He ran a hand through his hair, composed himself and flipped the communicator open. "Cy." He looked at the time. It was only around four in the afternoon at Jump City.

"We followed the leads on Greenwald and Welles and what we found was pretty interesting."

_It better be, _thought Robin with a hint of menace. "What do you have?"

"A conspiracy. Turns out our boys were working on something more than just your average cherry bombs. Post-graduate, they received a grant to work on their _real _thesis."

Robin's eyebrow arched; so did Starfire's.

"Molecularly Enhanced Macro-biotic Machinery."

"English, please."

"Robots that could _heal_ themselves."

Robin blinked and he had to remind himself that he wasn't dreaming about being in a _Star Trek_ episode. He was awake, still wrestling with his desire for Starfire while he listened to Cyborg telling him that Greenwald, Welles and Victoria had attempted to make robots that self-repaired. "When you say _heal…"_

"Like human wounds. Regeneration of damaged tissue… you know. The way you let a cut on your hand scab until there's nothing left but a scar… but these machines use the DNA-Enhanced nanobots to act as tiny little cells, reconstructing what's broken in a speed a trillion times faster than it takes human cells to repair wounds—in theory."

Robin's mind processed. "You mean they haven't done it?"

"Something happened midway. They stopped working on it, and it was all downhill from there. Greenwald's sister said that he just came home one night very upset. Wouldn't talk about it, and then he wasn't working on his _Big Project_ anymore. He started looking for a job, but every time he got an opportunity with the big name corporations, something terrible would happen; they burned his house while he was out and his sister got mugged; put her in a coma for three days. It was the same for Welles. It didn't stop until they started looking into fields that weren't related to whatever it was they were doing before. Greenwald and Welles kept in touch, but they lost Victoria. Welles' nephew told us that he heard his uncle and Victoria fighting one time. Victoria was saying something about giving in, if only for the safety of his family, but Welles' told him that they shouldn't give in. Didn't tell us much, but at least we have a general idea of who was most likely to cave."

_What were they doing that was so bad?_ Robin mused.

Cyborg continued. "We got most of this information from their personal files; a mix of written and digital compilations. Then of course there were the testimonies of their families. Raven and Beast Boy followed the lead on the ones who gave them the grant and Raven came up with the name _Project Auron_."

_"Auron? _What the heck is that?"

"Who the hell knows? But whatever it is, it has something to do with otherworldly technology and they had the money to hand out grants to a select few. Our guys made up one group; Garrison Slate led the other. _They_ backed off too, sooner than our guys, so they probably weren't in as deep."

"Garrison Slate… he's the founder of S.T.A.R. Labs," said Robin.

The Scientific and Technological Advanced Research Labs was a nationwide chain of research laboratories that _did_ not affiliate itself with the federal government. It originated from a small group of brilliant scientists led by Garrison Slate. As it grew bigger, it managed to fend off takeover bids by industry heavyweights such as LexCorp and Wayne Enterprises. Who benefited most from the technology of S.T.A.R. was still the subject of debate among conspiracy theorists. But more importantly, S.T.A.R. gave Cyborg his robot body.

"You got it. Eventually, the harassment from the _Project Auron_ connections on our guys stopped, but by the time our guys went to S.T.A.R. for career opportunities, S.T.A.R. didn't want to have anything to do with them. Big name corporations are like a cartel; they listen to each other. So nobody wanted our guys after S.T.A.R. rejected them."

_Interesting, _thought Robin, but he wasn't completely psyched about the connection. "Anything to show S.T.A.R.'s involved in the murder of our scientists?"

"Nothing yet, but after we've exhausted the leads on Welles and Greenwald, they're all we've got."

Robin thought about what Cyborg said. Things weren't exactly adding up.

If any of this had to do with Slade, it was more likely that he'd _kidnap_ the scientists, not kill them. Maxwell Victoria, whatever he was hired to do, apparently _succeeded. _He'd been paid, hadn't he? Maybe Slade was just a randomly dropped name in all of this. Maybe it _wasn't_ him. It was even possible that S.T.A.R. was behind all of it—yet it was just as unlikely in so many other degrees. Cyborg was right in saying that S.T.A.R. didn't need to get down and dirty, at least not anymore. S.T.A.R. had everything to lose if word of them killing scientists got out. There was no point, especially since Welles and Greenwald were so talented. Why get rid of them?

And then of course, there was Maxwell Victoria himself. Was it possible he knew enough of all the aspects of the technology that he believed he didn't need Welles or Greenwald to help him? In the same vein, if Victoria could manage to reconstruct the entire concept of their so-called thesis, did he kill Welles and Greenwald just so no one would have the know-how to stop these monster-machines?

_Slade, did you commission Victoria to make self-repairing robots and destroy the only two people who could stop him? _But why get Victoria to do it? If anything, assassinations would have to fall under Slade's expertise.

"How about you guys? Got anything?" asked Cyborg.

Starfire shifted uncomfortably and Robin frowned. He told Cyborg what they discovered.

Robin could hear Beast Boy squealing miserably in the background.

"Not again!" It was followed by a roar.

A frequency interfered with the radio transmission and then it cleared.

"Sorry," said Cyborg. "That was Raven protecting the couch from Beast Boy's tiger claws."

"We don't know for sure that Slade's involved," said Robin. "His name was mentioned, but so what? It's not even like him to be so careless."

"Yeah, Slade's never careless, so maybe he wants us to find out he's behind it."

_Now _that_ sounds like Slade. _

Robin pushed back his thoughts. "No. We're getting worked up over something we couldn't prove. Let's _not _panic. Even if it _is_ him, we've beaten him twice before. We could do it a third time. Try to look more into this _Project Auron._ Maybe you could find out why our guys quit on them. Starfire and I will be back there soon, probably in a couple of days. I'll let you know."

"Sure thing, champ. Word to the bat."

They signed out.

As he let thoughts of Slade and scientists ebb temporarily, he looked at Starfire. Her lips were still somewhat puffed and they were powerfully inviting. He shook his head, sighing, and got off her bed. "You need to get some rest. You have an early day tomorrow."

She blushed, probably having the same thoughts as he was, and she nodded. "Y-Yes."

He leaned over and kissed her forehead before he turned to leave.

"Richard?"

"Yeah?"

"A-Auron…"

Robin arched an eyebrow. "What about it? Heard of it before?"

She swallowed then shook her head. "'Tis a character in a videoed game… _Final Fantasy…"_

Robin stood there blinking for a moment before he laughed softly. "So it is. What a coincidence."

"Yes."

"I'll see you tomorrow—oh, wait. I gave you a tape when we were at Victoria's place…"

She fished into the pocket of her jeans and pulled it out. Robin took it from her but she grasped his hand. She was going to tell him something, but she hesitated, then she smiled. "Sweet dreams, Richard."

He stood there, wondering if he should insist about telling him what she had in mind, but her smile was beautiful, and it weakened his resolve. He grazed his thumb on her cheek affectionately before he turned and walked out of her room.

To be continued…

* * *

Closing notes: _Mou_, Cyborg has BAD timing…


	17. Slade, Slate and Unanswered Questions

Standard disclaimers apply.

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.**

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Seventeen – Slade, Slate and Unanswered Questions**

Robin looked up at the scream of a fast approaching engine. He winced as the sound got louder. Even the headphones that were clamped firmly over his ears were not proof against it.

Moments later, the Batcar came to a screeching halt in its parking space right in the middle of the Batcave. The engines died down gradually and the noise dissipated.

It was eight in the morning and after Robin had seen Starfire off to the labs, he went straight to the Batcave to work.

When Batman got out of his car, he paused momentarily to look at Robin.

Batman said something and Robin barely heard him. He whipped the headphones off. "What?"

"I said you're up early."

Robin cocked a grin. "And you've been partying all night. You should've brought me along with you. You'd have been home from kicking bad guy butt _much_ earlier." It was their usual banter. Robin would say something about going with Batman and Batman would tell him that he worked alone now or that Robin's city wasn't Gotham anymore or something along those lines.

He didn't expect Bruce's response of, "I thought I'd let you get your groove on with Kori."

Robin reddened, scowling. "What the f—were you spying on us?"

Batman stared, the coverage of the mask revealing nothing. "I was _teasing._ I didn't mean anything by it. You, on the other hand, are serious. I _hope_ you used protection, _Dick."_

Robin wanted to disintegrate right there. "It _wasn't_ like that. Shees, why do I even waste my time making idle conversation with you?" He turned on his seat, motioning to replace his headphones.

"Need help with that?"

"Your Aural Spectrograph sucks." It actually didn't. It was perhaps as advanced as the one the titans had in the tower, but Robin wasn't feeling particularly amicable after getting embarrassed.

The grid lines spread across the page caged a splay of visualized sound wave patterns. The erratic lines and points on the monitor were colored in monochromatic shades representing pitch, tone, background noises and a bunch of other sound patterns. It meant nothing to the untrained eye, but Robin knew how to read it. So did Batman.

Batman ignored his remark. "Looking for a particular voice print?"

"Maybe. I'm also looking out for anomalies. Never know what you might find in those." Far more advanced than the regular aural spectrographs the police used, this version could plot subliminal sounds, voice masks and sound distortions; functions that couldn't be found in the more common spectrographs which were only used to identify voice prints. Robin was using it to analyze the voices on the tape he stole from Maxwell Victoria's apartment.

He could probably get several voice matches from the Bat Computer's network-powered criminal archives and Robin hoped the matches offered clues that might help shed some light on the entire mystery.

Batman nodded. "Could I hear your sample?"

"It's long. There are over a dozen recorded messages."

"You snagging tape recorders from answering machines again?"

"Learned it from you, didn't I?"

"Learned it well, apparently. Any distinct messages you could zero in on?"

"None. They're all basically the same. He gets calls from sharks telling him to come up with payments, and he also gets calls from the phone company… the power company… collection agencies… the occasional bookie…"

"And how old is this tape?"

"Judging by the messages, I'm guessing two months old. Phone probably stopped working soon after that. He paid off his debts a bit later. I don't think he bothered settling with the phone company, though. If these were the kind of calls I got on my phone, I wouldn't reconnect either."

Batman shrugged. "Maybe he got himself a cellular phone."

"Maybe." It was possible. Victoria certainly didn't waste time hooking himself up to a spectacularly expensive Alienware desktop.

Robin fiddled with some switches and handed Batman headphones of his own. Batman plugged in and soon they were listening to each and every message; analyzing them from the available visual and aural information.

They managed to get voice prints, most of which belonged to Bludhaven's not-so-model citizens.

Five hours later, after having sifted through half a dozen anomalies that led to nothing, Robin found another discrepancy. He was just about to point it out when Batman called his attention to it. "See that irregularity?"

Robin nodded but didn't want to get his hopes up yet again. "Could be anything, though." He looked at the half-eaten deli sandwich on a plate nearby. Alfred had brought them lunch, but Robin found he was in no mood to eat.

"We'll see. Replay the audio."

Robin did. A woman's voice, soothing and silky, but with a decidedly high pitch, broke through their earpieces.

_"Penny here. Don't forget MealtidePark Central. __Eight thirty_

Whether it was a date or a bookie, it was hard to say. Mealtide Park Central was a hot spot for shady dealings, which was why anybody could do anything illegal there and nobody would care. It wasn't milling with tourists, but it had its share of regulars.

Overall, the voice sounded normal, but there was a deviation somewhere along the stream. It wasn't entirely visible and indeed, it could be anything, but it was an anomaly and they had to check it.

Robin broke down the deviant stream and tried to isolate it. It was somewhat like cropping in digital image editors, but more sensitive to errors. It took a lot of practice to isolate a stream and it was a tedious process. It was the reason the entire thing was taking so long.

Finally, the stream was isolated. Setting it aside, Robin made the usual audio adjustments to make the words intelligible. It was a bit more difficult when the audio was as short as this one because he had to keep on replaying so he could hear whether his adjustments were correct. The trial and error process required a lot of patience. Batman and Robin had the patience for such things.

Little by little, the words became clearer. Halfway through, Robin took a pregnant pause.

Batman arched a questioning eyebrow.

Robin ignored him and started making vast adjustments to the modulators, after which Robin played the message a final time.

_"Penny here. Don't forget __Mealtide__Park__ Central. __Eight thirty_

It was the voice of Slade.

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"Richard?"

Robin snapped out of his musings at the sound of Starfire's voice. She had just gotten back from the labs and he had immediately brought her to the Batcave to listen to the recording.

He had just finished playing the message and for the nth time that day, he got lost in a bevy of thoughts. Since he discovered the mask on the recording, he found himself trying to come up with an objective; a plan; _something. _Just so he wouldn't feel that he was sitting around while Slade was plotting the demise of the world.

Robin had done all he can while Starfire was at the labs. The first thing he did after he isolated Slade's voice was contact the tower through the Bat Computer. It was four thirty in the morning at Jump City when he called and Cyborg had _not_ been accommodating. Raven was worse. Only Beast Boy was civil but his mood quickly turned sour when Raven made unsavory comments about the teddy bears on his boxer shorts.

When Robin played the voice message, much of their drowsiness disappeared, but their moods turned from bad to worse. Cyborg was the first to recover.

"What'll you have us do, chief?"

"Keep following the leads you already have but I want you to look for leads regarding Slade. Get anything you can on him. I don't care if it's a rumor of him robbing Seven Elevens—_follow it! _I'm going to see if I could get a meeting with Garrison Slate."

Beast Boy scratched behind his ears. "The billionaire?"

Robin didn't even respond to it. It was a silly question, especially since Robin lived almost half his life with _another_ billionaire. "Starfire and I will be flying back there tomorrow and we should get there around eight in the morning. Cy, be there when we touch down."

Cyborg nodded.

Raven, in her black, Mortisha-cut nightgown, cast her shadow on the monitor. "I have an old list of Slade's contacts when he was still in Army Ops. Should I go back on those—?"

"Yes. Go back. Way back if you have to. We have to find him before he does what he's got planned."

"Robin," said Raven pointedly. "You do realize that if we find him, it's probably because he _wants_ to be found."

Robin understood what Raven was saying. If they found Slade, it was because he was ready for them. They had foiled Slade twice, but the last time, the one with Terra; Slade had almost succeeded. If it hadn't been for Terra's betrayal of him, Slade _might_ have very well won. They couldn't face Slade without being prepared for the worse, or else they would put themselves and the rest of the city in peril. They may have won twice, but their triumph was only as good as Slade's next attempt. "We're just going to have to stay alert. Be ready for him. I'm working on a plan so that this time, he _doesn't_ catch us by surprise."

Beast Boy frowned, teddy bear boxer shorts and all. "First there's Cinderblock and then there was Plasmus. Wanna bet that Overload will turn up soon? I mean, _hello! _He's obviously leading us! He probably knows what we're doing right now!"

Cyborg placed a hand on Beast Boy's shoulder and shook his head. "Not helping, little man."

Robin stifled a sigh. Beast Boy had a point though, and Robin _had_ thought about that, but there was little any of them could do about it. They just had to do their best to stay vigilant. "Just keep the tower secure, Cy. Make sure there aren't any taps; make sure our airwaves are tight. I don't want anyone accidentally stumbling in on our frequencies. Put virus guards if you have to. This is the last time I'm going to communicate with you from here, so if you have any questions for me, ask them now."

There was silence.

Robin nodded. "I'll see Cyborg at oh-eight-hundred tomorrow, Wayne Airfield. Out."

Closing communications, Robin immediately fell to finding out where Garrison Slate was. He was harder to track down than the average civilian and Robin figured the guy had the money to put up tight blocks on information regarding his whereabouts, but having lived with a billionaire-superhero who was even more secretive than Garrison Slate, Robin knew all about security measures. Batman, after all, had the best system in the world.

Four hours later, Robin found out that Garrison Slate was in Antarctica, quite possibly in the middle of nowhere. Some of his scientists were on expedition there and he had decided to make an on-site visit. This news did not please Robin in the least. He couldn't even get a radio signal. There was virtually no way to contact Garrison Slate while he was somewhere at the snowy top of the world.

That had been almost three hours ago.

Now Starfire was with him in the Bat Cave and he could barely focus his attention on her.

"Richard, I asked how you derived this recording from the tape."

Robin looked blankly at her before he shook himself out of his stupor and blew a breath through his lips. He apologized and concentrated on processing her question. "It was one of the messages in that tape we got from Victoria's apartment. He masked his voice, making himself sound like a woman, probably with a digital device. This is the voice on the recording." He clicked a window and the girlishly seductive voice sounded through the speakers. "The message was phrased very vaguely, so that anyone who might hear it wouldn't think it out of the ordinary, but Victoria would know. _Penny's_ probably an alias he was instructed to recognize and I doubt if there were any meet-up plans made before this call. Bad guys don't make reservations and confirmations, you know. They just call, tell you where to meet them and that's about it."

"Penny," she said softly. "What a strange name; like a feminine for the more masculine _Penn._"

"Actually, it's an ordinary name, even if it's not as common as John or Jessica, which is probably why it was used. It doesn't call attention yet it's unlikely that there would be another random lady calling him with the same name."

Starfire nodded. "I would like to hear Slade's voice again, please."

Robin replayed it for her.

She listened intently, brows knotted. "How did you find out the lady's voice was a mask?"

He was a bit confused by her question. Starfire had worked the Aural Spectrograph in the tower and she knew how this was done, but he answered her anyway. "Trial and error. Bruce and I scanned for anomalies from the visuals of the Aural Spectrograph. Took us a few hours, but when I isolated this stream and aligned its sound patterns, I got this. It works the same as the Aural Spectrograph at the tower."

"Oh." It sounded as if she was disappointed that there was no loophole in his procedure. He couldn't blame her. He wished there was some way he could be wrong, but right now, all signals led to Slade. "What do we do now?"

Robin sighed. "We wait a few hours. Maybe later we could communicate with Garrison Slate. Guy like him never stays in one place for long. I know the type. He's bound to go somewhere we could contact him; just a matter of time." He leaned over the panel and opened a window, accessing Maxwell Victoria's online banking account. There was still no recorded activity. He wasn't even purchasing with a debit-card. Wherever he was, he didn't need any cash. All day, he had made constant online trips to check on Victoria's banking activities. If he so much as withdrew cash, the bank would record when, where and what time. Using that information, Robin could zero in on him, but there was nothing. There wasn't a trace of Victoria anywhere. It was as if he had disappeared off the face of the Earth.

Itching for something to do, Robin contacted Johan.

"Er… Bat Kid? That you?" came Johan's uncertain voice through the speaker.

"Who else? Got anything on Victoria?"

"None. Hey, I'd call you if there was something. You told me I should, remember?"

"Yeah. Just checking to see if _you_ remember." Frustrated, Robin cut him off and leaned back on his chair. "This waiting is driving me nuts."

Starfire frowned. "How long have you been here?"

"Since eight this morning."

She shook her head in disapproval. "Dick Grayson, you have been working for almost eleven hours straight. You cannot do this to yourself."

He ruffled his hair, annoyed that he couldn't do anything more at the moment. "I _have_ to work, Kori. I can't… I can't just sit around and do nothing because it's like every second I waste; Slade is another second closer to completing whatever plan he has this time. At least—at least I want to know what he's planning. Maybe I could stop it—"

_"You? _Do you not mean _we?"_ She scowled. _"Richard…" _she began in a warning tone. "You are _doing_ it again!"

He grit his teeth. "I'm sorry. I just forget. I'm getting so caught up in this—"

"There is nothing you could do in the next two hours. You must take the time to—what you call—decompress. If it makes you feel better, I will try to find a way to contact this Garrison Slate for you while you go upstairs and perhaps eat some Oreos…"

Robin expelled a breath then he looked at her, drawing on her relaxing vibes. "You have to come with me. If I walk around the house alone, it'll just get me thinking about it again and I want to—I just want to think about something else for a couple of hours." He closed his eyes and pressed the heels of his hands lightly against it.

She smiled, reaching for him. He caught her hands in his. "We have not tried the pool."

It certainly worked well enough to distract him. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

She pouted. "Why would it not be a good idea?"

His cheeks burned. "Were you not there last night when we were making out on your bed?"

A flush spread across her cheeks. "I rather liked it. I thought you—was it bad for you, then?"

He laughed sardonically, letting his head drop between his shoulders in frustration. "Are you shitting me?"

"I-I am not familiar with that—"

He laughed even more, grazing her cheek with his thumb. "There was absolutely nothing _bad_ about it—well, unless you use _bad_ in terms of being a _major_ turn on…" His voice trailed at her evident confusion. "But if you want me to be less cryptic about it—I liked it a lot; a bit _too_ much maybe. You _had_ to have noticed that, Kori." He punctuated it with a half-wistful-half-miserable sigh; his blush deepened.

She smiled shyly. "I—um—got that impression."

"I'm being an absolute moron, but… just, not right now. We shouldn't."

_Especially not right now._ Robin would regret losing himself to Kori in his state; with Slade perversely at the back of his mind and possibly returning to memory full-force during the afterglow…

_That would be so not right,_ he thought dourly. If he and Starfire ever _got to that,_ he wanted it to be special; not because he wanted to forget Slade.

_Comfort sex could come much later in the relationship. _

He felt horribly guilty for thinking so casually of it, yet it made him feel somewhat tingly.

Robin suggested that they pester Alfred in the kitchen. She agreed. It turned out to be a better idea than they hoped because Babs showed up bearing gifts.

"Alfred said you two will probably be leaving in the morning," she explained, handing them each a gift-wrapped box. "I couldn't let you go without saying goodbye, right?"

"Touched," said Robin, tearing the wrapper off the gift.

Starfire, grinning, did likewise.

Robin opened the box and found a mustard colored graphic tee-shirt. Calvin from _Calvin and Hobbes _wore huge glasses that magnified his eyes as he stood at the side of large print letters. The letters spelled GEEK. Robin arched an eyebrow.

Starfire had a graphic tee-shirt as well, hers in old rose. She examined it by touch and figuring out what it was, she held it up. "Ooh, what does my shirt of T look like?" Hers had Susie Derkins from the same cartoon, leaning against letters of her own. The letters spelled: I (heart) GEEK.

Babs laughed gregariously at her own joke. Alfred could not resist a small smile.

"Charming," he said.

"Ha, ha, freckin' ha," said Robin, stifling a grin. He folded the tee-shirt and rolled it into his grip.

Starfire looked worried. "You do not like the shirt of T, Richard?"

Babs allayed her fears. "Don't be silly, Kori, he loves it. He's just being a smart-ass, like always, that's all."

Robin chuckled. "Thanks Babs. Appreciate the thought, even if you do think I'm a geek."

"Always was, always will be. It goes without saying that you have to wear the tee-shirts together, or else it ruins the joke."

Robin rolled his eyes.

Starfire, though still unaware of what her tee-shirt said, thanked Babs graciously. She folded the shirt as perfectly as she could and set it daintily aside.

Babs stayed for dinner and Bruce stuck around for dessert.

Robin was vaguely aware that more than two hours had gone by since he and Starfire left the Bat Cave and he found that the break was good for him.

When it came time for Babs to leave, Starfire gave Babs a warm hug and goodbye, after which she suggested that Robin walk her to her car.

Robin was only mildly surprised, but he was glad that even Starfire realized Babs deserved a proper farewell.

Babs was grinning broadly as they made their way to the garage. "So _have _you taken care of your business with Kori?"

He chuckled, amused. "Maybe. What do _you_ care?"

She shrugged. "Oh, just call me a hopeless romantic. You look adorable together."

He smiled. They walked a while in companionable silence before he spoke again. "Hey, you know… thanks for being a pal. Kori really likes you and… you made me feel at home in this ridiculously big house. I think even then—when you kissed me and all, you were being a pal. I'll always remember that."

Babs laughed. "Well, you could look at it that way. I was being _sort of_ a pal when I kissed you, but I also thought you were really cute, Boy Wonder." She winked.

He shrugged bashfully, grinning.

They reached the garage a bit later and Robin walked her to her car. She took her keys and unlocked the doors to her green VW Beetle. She opened the door to the driver's side.

Babs smiled and gave him a warm hug. "I am going to miss you—_again_. And I'll miss Kori, too. She's a sweetheart."

"Yeah, she is," he said, returning her hug.

She pulled away and held him by the shoulders. "You take care of her."

He scoffed. "You know I will."

"And she better take care of _you. _If she doesn't… you know where to call me!" She giggled, sliding into the driver's seat and slamming the door.

He backed away from the car as she slid her seatbelt on. She started the car and Robin pressed the controls to the garage doors. The panels slid open and she waved to him as she drove off.

Robin laughed softly, shaking his head as he closed up. It would be a long time before he saw Barbara Gordon again.

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The following morning, Robin and Starfire flew back to Jump City on Bruce's luxury plane. They had barely gotten any sleep the previous night trying to make contact with Garrison Slate.

When Batman found them half-asleep on the control panel of the Bat Computer, he told them, in a somewhat casual fashion, that he had had Garrison Slate on speed-dial since Wayne Enterprises proposed a corporate merging with them a few years back.

"But even Bruce Wayne couldn't just call the famous Garrison," he said. "I could leave word with his personal assistant; telling him that Robin the Boy Wonder urgently seeks his conference. I'll leave your contact information and Garrison Slate will get in touch with you when he's able. Good enough?"

Groaning groggily with the panel keys imprinted on his face, Robin nodded. It would have to do. "Tell him it's about _Project Auron. _Maybe he'll 'get in touch' with me faster that way."

On the plane back to San Diego, California, Robin and Starfire collapsed against their respective seats and slept the entire flight. Alfred, who was with them, pulled a blanket over Starfire and Robin's curled figures.

He noted with amusement that they had their fingers intertwined as they slept facing each other on their seats. He was glad that at least one of his pseudo-sons knew what was good for him.

Alfred woke them gently when the plane was preparing for landing.

Robin blinked back his grogginess, the mask tight around his eyes. Starfire rose beside him, just as sleepily. They prepared for their reception at landing before they finally buckled down on their seats.

As the plane descended, Robin looked over at Starfire. "We'll be with the others again, soon."

She nodded. "It will be nice to be with them again, but we… _us…_"

"Yeah, I know. It'll be fine."

She smiled, kissing his cheek daintily before settling back on her seat and threading her fingers through his.

The plane made a smooth landing. Before they stepped out of the plane, Starfire gave Alfred a warm hug. She kissed him on the cheek and thanked him profusely, telling him that he would be sorely missed.

Endeared, Alfred nodded. "Until next time, Madame Koriand'r."

Alfred attempted to extend a gentlemanly handshake to Robin who arched an eyebrow and said, "What are you, nuts?" He gave the old man a hug and Alfred returned it as best he could by giving Robin gentle pats to his back.

"Just tell Bruce I'll see him around, okay?" Robin wasn't able to give his mentor a proper goodbye, but that suited him and Bruce quite well. They didn't like schmaltzy partings, particularly with each other.

Starfire, Robin found out, had been much more thoughtful in her goodbyes to Bruce. She gave him a decorative Chinese Magic Box. She said it was difficult to open, yet when one figured it out, the simplicity of it could open one's mind to possibilities. In the meantime, it could serve as a marbleized paperweight that looked pretty damn good on a billionaire's office desk.

In a lot of ways, the nature of the box said many things about Bruce Wayne. Robin just knew Bruce would trip on it.

Starfire had given the Chinese Magic box with an elegant tie, because—she said—the Magic box was too cheap by itself.

As they made their way down the steps of the plane, Robin saw the T-Chopper waiting on its landing pad. Cyborg waved to them from the cockpit and Robin grinned.

Their things were brought to the chopper and when Robin was sure nothing had been left behind, he helped Starfire into the helicopter and stepped in. He gave Starfire her headphones and then he fit one on himself.

Cyborg grinned. "M' man, Robin! Glad to have you back!" He extended a fist.

Robin pounded on it and Cyborg returned the gesture, tapping knuckles to finish the greeting. "You been waiting long?"

"Nah! Everyone was on schedule. How's it going, Star? D'you like Gotham?"

She grinned. "Oh, I do! The people were wonderful and I do believe I have never had such well put together meals, but I could hardly wait to get back to the tower and eat pizza."

"Well, sit tight, ya'll. I'll get you guys back to the tower in a hurry. Pizza's waiting!"

They lifted off and Robin saw Alfred waving. He waved back, thinking for the first time since he made a conscious decision to move out of Gotham that he was actually going to miss it.

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Beast Boy's reception of their return was about as warm and BB-esque as they expected of him. He transformed into a monkey, swung around excitedly then presented them with home-made welcome-back tofu cookies, and while the cookies tasted mostly like sugared paper, Robin had to appreciate the gesture. _He _hadn't been as thoughtful.

Raven was about as warm as a popsicle in winter. She looked up from the book she was reading on the couch, stared at them a moment and said, "Hey. Pizza's on the counter," before going back to Marilyn Manson's book of poetry.

Starfire immediately fell to her knees to dig through her suitcase which was apparently filled with coming home presents. First she gave Cyborg his autographed Batman and then she brought out something Robin was surprised she was able to get: A signed Batarang. Cyborg was bursting with robotic joy. For Beast Boy, she had a tee-shirt with a cow staring out bug eyed and open-mouth, apparently shocked. Beside the cow were the words "Hamburgers are made of WHAT?!?" He loved it, of course. It was exactly the kind of philosophy he lived by.

Intrigued by what Starfire could have possibly gotten for Raven, he wasn't surprised when Starfire pulled out a book. What surprised him was Raven's reaction.

Raven gave the book one glance and she dropped Marilyn Manson's magnum opus. She stared at the book in Starfire's hands. _"Fairy Goth-ma'am: Chronicles of Psychology on the Criminal Minds of __Gotham__… _how did you get this? It's not publicly distributed. Dr. Meridian only gives these out to a select few…"

"Dr. Meridian likes me."

Raven's impassive face showed only the barest hint of a surprise. "You _met_ her?"

Starfire grinned. "I was with her almost every day in Gotham."

Raven struggled to absorb this before saying thanks and hunching over the new, apparently rare, book; Marilyn Manson forgotten.

When everyone had settled down, Robin took the pizza box from the counter and plopped it on the dining table, like bait. "Alright, business brunch, people."

The titans groaned but sat around the table anyway, seeking solace from the food.

Starfire slid into the booth beside him, sitting primly while she subtly linked her ankle around his under cover of the table. He let her, stifling a smile.

"Report," he simply said.

Cyborg wolfed down a pizza slice in two bites and began. "I checked up as much as I could on S.T.A.R. labs and there's nothing in their archives to indicate that it had anything to do with the work our guys did in Project Auron. If they even had any records of it, they're all gone. Our only hope of ever finding anything from S.T.A.R. regarding _Project Auron _is Garrison Slate himself."

Robin nodded. "I'm working on that. Raven?"

"Beast Boy and I tried to cover as much of the list as we could. Most of his army connections are dead and General Sampson refused to talk about him; though he did admit that he hasn't heard from Slade in the last ten years."

"The guy talked like he had a bazooka up his butt," said Beast Boy. He made a face marked by a scowl and began to speak in a British Army voice, complete with an accent. _"I was having tea and scones one hundred meters from a veritable war zone while you were eating your mother's home-baked crumpets, boy!"_

Starfire giggled but Raven ignored him. "We were able to track down _one_ connection: William Randolph Wintergreen. He's Slade's best friend."

Robin took a moment to process this. It was uncanny. His idea of a best friend ran along the lines of a sweetheart like Starfire, or even a friendly, dependable guy like Cyborg; not _Slade._

Starfire found the words first. "Slade has a _best friend?"_

Beast Boy chortled. "Yeah. Kinda makes you wonder if Slade remembers birthdays."

Robin leaned back, organizing his thoughts. "Have you done a background check on this guy?"

Raven nodded. "Yes. Comes from an old English family and grew up in Oxford but he moved here when he and Slade left the British Army. He's an excellent information specialist and before he pursued a career in the British Army, he received several commendations for his work in MI-5, but it was in the British Army he found out that he didn't like rules very much. He usually got in trouble being reckless but Slade always came around to bail him out. In one of the missions, he fucked-up real bad and was imprisoned in Hanoi where he underwent brutal torture. It was Slade who rescued him. They've been classified in British Government records as _dead _and they've been the best of friends ever since. He was Slade's Best Man at his wedding—"

"Whoa," said Robin. "Slade's _married?"_

_"Was. _They're divorced now. His wife tried to kill him. She missed—a bit. She blew off his eye. I guess they couldn't work through their issues."

"Apparently."

Beast Boy shook his head. "Couples these days… not even for the _children."_

Robin eyed Beast Boy. "You're joking, right? They don't actually have kids, do they? You're just saying that to be funny. In fact, it's not very funny."

Raven shot Beast Boy an annoyed look. "They have two sons. They were the main reason the marriage didn't work. Adeline Wilson didn't like the idea that her sons would be raised by a mercenary and Slade didn't like the idea that she was going to take them away. Did I mention that Slade used to be a mercenary named Deathstroke? I think he told his wife that he was selling insurance."

"No. You didn't tell me." Robin couldn't fathom the idea that Slade could be fatherly in any way. He wondered if Slade ever went to PTA meetings. "So you're saying Slade wasn't always the psychopathic monster that we all… hate?"

"Who knows?"

"Wintergreen might know," said Robin. "Done any recon on this guy?"

"Only a little bit," replied Beast Boy. "He's been pretty clean since he moved here to the US. Like a model citizen. He pays his taxes; pays his bills; doesn't have any traffic violations; goes to the grocery store and pastry shop every Saturday morning; and he's Anglican; worships every Sunday with his fellow Brits in reverence to the holy Church of England and—" he paused, reverting to his English accent _"—Her Majesty, the Queen."_ He grinned in spite of the generally impassive faces surrounding him. Starfire was kind enough to give him a little giggle. "I also turned rat and scurried around his house. Guy loves to read, sits around in his garden drinking tea and listens to a lot of old music."

Robin lifted and eyebrow. _"Old _music? Like Elvis Presley or something?"

"You know; the kind with a lot of violins and pianos and stuff."

"Don't you mean _classical?"_

"Dude, _classical _is Run DMC. _No _contest."

Cyborg laughed and exchanged high-fives with Beast Boy.

Robin rolled his eyes and tried to get their discussion back on track. "So this guy Wintergreen's mellowed. Is that what you're saying?"

Beast Boy shrugged. "Man, if I were tortured in Hanoi as a prisoner of war, I'd pretty much say _eee-nough _when it comes to anything that has to do with the army and violence."

Starfire fidgeted. "Actually, many of the most traumatized soldiers tend to exhibit violent characteristics post war."

"Well, _excuse me_ Miss Dr. Meridian Likes Me!" said Beast Boy, grinning. Starfire knew a teasing tone when she heard it and she smiled back shyly.

"Only way to find out is to talk to him," Robin said. "If we need more information, maybe he'd know where to find Slade's wife and kids… cripes, that still sounds wrong."

Raven arched an eyebrow. "That he had a wife and kids?"

"That someone loved him enough to marry him and bear his children."

A general shudder went around the table.

"When can we see Wintergreen?" Robin asked.

Beast Boy made the reply. "Tomorrow morning, while he's gardening. He has a dog show to go to the entire day today."

Robin ruffled his hair; irate. "Right. Dog show." As much as he wanted to catch Wintergreen unaware, he didn't want to make a scene in as public an event as a dog show, especially if Wintergreen wasn't doing anything wrong. He supposed dropping into a guy's garden while he was tending it would be surprise enough. He just wished they didn't have to wait so long. He sighed, resigned. "I'm going to get into uniform. I miss the old suit."

Their conference broke, the pizza gone. He hadn't even bothered to partake of it.

He felt a hand on his shoulder as he stood and it was Starfire's.

"I will get in uniform as well. It has been a while," she said softly.

Robin flashed a half-grin. He supposed everyone would be glad to see Starfire back in her old purples. He was also looking forward to having some time alone with her, however brief, when they went down to chambers together, but Cyborg and Beast Boy went along with them to the elevators. Cyborg wanted to set up the signed Batman and batarang so that everyone who walked into his room could see it. Beast Boy was going to help him.

Robin tried not to look disappointed. He was always glad to have them around, but because they were there, he couldn't even hold Starfire's hand.

Cyborg's room came first in the hallway and talking excitedly, they barely paid attention to Robin and Starfire as they disappeared into Cyborg's door.

Robin brought Starfire to her room and after looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was going to pop out and catch him in the act, he leaned over and kissed her.

When they parted, she smiled. "What was that for?"

"We're not going to be alone as much as we want to, anymore. Not around here. Call it seizing the moment."

She seemed to like the thought and she did some seizing of her own. Robin was just about to pull her close when the sound of voices bounced through the halls.

They pulled apart looking about as guilty as thieves. Beast Boy popped his head out of Cyborg's door just when they got out of their compromising position.

"Hey, you guys got any thumbtacks you could spare?"

"None," they muttered in unison.

Beast Boy stared at them for a heartbeat then grinned. "Sorry if I interrupted anything."

Robin stifled a roll of his eyes as he turned to head for his room. "I'll see you later, Starfire."

She nodded, before disappearing behind her door.

Beast Boy was still smirking when Robin shot him a glare. "Don't you have some batarangs to hang?"

Beast Boy cackled, retreating back into Cyborg's room.

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Robin leaned back on the couch, eyes glued to the wide screen in front of him in concentration, though he wasn't exactly paying attention to the movie. He had his elbow draped over the back-rest as he secretly made idle caresses on Starfire's shoulder with his fingers, barely noticeable in the darkness of the room. Starfire leaned into it subtly as she listened to Beast Boy's soft commentary beside her.

Cyborg, who was seated on the other side of Beast Boy, reacted to the fight scene as he munched on a can of Pringles. Raven, situated at the other end of the couch, looked like she was bored out of her mind (even if she probably wasn't).

Robin was too preoccupied to enjoy _Braveheart _and only Starfire's presence made it possible for him to sit still.

"Dude," came a whisper.

It took another moment for Robin to realize that Beast Boy was addressing him. He arched a questioning eyebrow in the green titan's direction.

"Could you—like, stop tapping your foot? It's distracting me."

Robin looked at his metal sole boot and saw that it was hitting the leg of the coffee table. He hadn't even noticed he was doing that. "Sorry."

"It's fine." Beast Boy sighed tolerantly before going back to describing scenes to Starfire.

Robin wanted to hit Beast Boy over the head, just to release some of his restlessness. He suddenly felt Starfire's hand graze tenderly above his knee, as if to soothe him. And then her touch was gone. He wished they didn't have to be so discreet but that was the thing about having responsibilities; there were expectations about what should and shouldn't be done.

He glanced at her furtively and saw the veil of her hair parting to show some of her nape. What he wouldn't give to plant a kiss on the inviting curve of her neck right now.

A persistent beeping sound broke through the surround sound and Robin was immediately alerted.

Without saying anything, he shut the movie off and went to the panel, quickly punching in a set of codes. Nobody made complaints; they all knew what that beeping sound meant. Someone was trying to contact them via the tower's computer.

A window opened on screen and a man's head and shoulders, cloaked in shadow, appeared. Robin blinked in surprise.

"Ah! Good evening Titans," the vision said in a pleasant, unassuming tone.

There was a profound silence in the room. Who _was_ this person?

Robin quickly gathered his wits. "Uh… good evening. _Who _am I speaking to?"

The person on-screen chuckled. "Of course. Where are my manners? My name is Garrison Slate."

Robin was only astonished for a moment before it was replaced by suspicion. He looked at Raven from the corner of his eye and the empath, catching his questioning gaze, nodded. That meant that this shadow who had introduced himself as the elusive billionaire was indeed telling the truth. For the moment, that was good enough for Robin. "Mr. Slate, I'm glad you decided to contact us."

"Well, why wouldn't I? When Bruce Wayne calls to tell me that Robin the Boy Wonder requests conference with me, I would be a fool not to respond. I am quite the Titans fan, you know, football team notwithstanding. You must excuse me for being so… anonymous. I prefer that people do not recognize me by my looks."

"I understand," said Robin, trying his best to sound convincing.

The shadow nodded before it shifted slightly. "Mr. Victor Stone! How is your cybernetic equipment coming along?"

Swallowing a mouth full of chips, Cyborg hastened to reply. "Doing just fine, sir."

"Good! And Miss Koriand'r, I've heard about the efforts of Wayne Enterprises to restore your eyesight. I must say that your chances are top-notch with such an excellent team of scientists working on it."

Starfire hadn't been prepared to be addressed, but she replied. "I-I have the greatest faith in them."

They saw the shadow turn in Robin's direction. "And how may I help you, Boy Wonder?"

"We just have a few questions. We were wondering if the name _Project Auron _rings a bell for you."

"Ah, yes. Bruce said something about that. Of course it rings a bell!"

Robin's heart skipped a beat at the news. "Could you tell us more about it?"

"Well, it _was_ quite a while back then. Ten… maybe eleven years ago. I didn't get very involved with it. I felt something was _not right_. I backed out before I got in too deep."

"What was it that they wanted you to do?"

"Sophisticated machinery configured to respond to certain kinds of stones; otherworldly gems of sorts. I forgot what they called it but I got the impression that the result of its combination led to potentially destructive _mechanisms_."

"Did you get to speak to the ones heading this project?"

Garrison Slate paused to think. "Well, probably not. Their emissaries, I'd think. Whoever their boss was, he didn't have time to come here to Earth."

That was greatly unexpected. He exchanged astonished glances with the titans before he continued. "They were aliens?"

"They didn't say, but I suspected as much. They wore cloaking devices, so that we couldn't see their true forms, but I knew they were in disguise. They called themselves Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones. I don't even think those were their real names. And then of course, they dealt in cold hard cash. I suppose aliens couldn't possibly have personal checks." He chuckled at this. "At the time, aliens weren't that commonplace, and I was the only one in my group allowed to meet up with them, so I couldn't exactly start telling everyone that we were dealing with otherworldly clients. They were hiding something. Whenever I asked them what the machines were for, they kept telling me that it was not my concern. I refused to work like that. I didn't want to get tricked into making weapons and then find out in the end that they would use it to blow up our planet. That would have made me very upset."

Robin thought maybe it would upset _everyone, _but he merely nodded, thinking about how that information could apply to their three scientists. It was possible that Welles, Victoria and Greenwald backed out for the same reasons Garrison Slate did. "Understood. Ever heard of the names Welles, Victoria and Greenwald?"

"Oh yes," replied Slate in a grave tone. "They were the _other_ team of scientists. They were also one of the reasons I decided not to get involved with the aliens. I heard they were seriously harassed for backing out of the project."

"They were."

Slate shook his head, making tutting sounds. "I promised myself I wouldn't have anything to do with that project, so I couldn't take them to work for me. Poor guys. I heard they all met a most unfortunate end."

Robin made a noncommittal gesture with his hand. He didn't have to tell Slate who lived and who died. "Did you have any dealings with them, at all?"

"None. They were just names. I don't even know what they were working on."

"Did you hear from the Project Auron guys again after you turned them down?"

"Well, for a while they stuck around to try to convince me, but suddenly they had to leave in a hurry and then they were gone. Never heard from them again. Maybe something happened to them, or maybe they found another race of aliens who was more willing to help them. I got the impression that they had other contacts in other planets. Besides, I was not so arrogant as to think that humans were the only ones intelligent enough to provide them with the technology they needed." His voice spelled amusement.

Robin tried as hard as he could to make something of the tones in Garrison Slate's voice. It was difficult to make assessments of the man's character if all he could see was a shadow, but truth be told, there was no reason whatsoever to suspect that Slate was a liar. His public image was clean and while his super corporation had had their share of manic scientists, S.T.A.R. always made public statements about how they didn't condone questionable practices and abuses to science. His statements about Project Auron only confirmed that image.

The only other question he needed to ask felt pointless, but he had to ask it anyway. "Do you even have the slightest idea of what species they were, Mr. Slate?"

Garrison Slate laughed softly. "Honestly, none. Even if I saw their ship, which I didn't, I wouldn't know where it was from. It is not like I could look up space-ship models for quick reference. They could've originated from Pluto… heck, they could have been Tamaranian for all I knew."

Starfire flushed at the reference.

Robin tried to think of other leads but he knew he had exhausted them with regard to Garrison Slate. The man's answers were tight and Robin couldn't possibly badger the man into telling them more. He had no choice but to end the interview. "That's about it, Mr. Slate. Thank you for your time. I know you're very busy."

Garrison Slate's shadow made a gesture and then a slight bow. "Anything I could do to help. I shall always be willing to answer questions for the Titans of Jump City."

"We'll remember that."

"Signing out."

Robin nodded and the window disappeared. He checked the connection and saw that it was terminated. He looked at his titans, waiting for their reactions.

Cyborg popped the cap back on the Pringles can. "Does this mean S.T.A.R. Labs is a dud?"

"If we take Slate's word for it, yes." Robin's brows knotted into a frown. "Raven, did you sense anything from him?"

Raven frown. "He wasn't lying… at all."

Robin wished for once that Raven had said otherwise. "Nothing's adding up. We're missing something. Maybe I asked him the wrong questions."

Again, the room was silent and Robin had to stifle a sigh. Apparently, he wasn't the only one coming up blank.

He didn't feel much like watching _Braveheart_ anymore. "I'm turning in, guys. I want everyone ready to head out early tomorrow and I'm taking no excuses. Don't be late. I'll see you all in the morning."

Robin made to leave, but as he got behind Starfire on his way to the elevator, he paused. He put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. "G'night, Starfire."

She turned slightly, a small smile on her lips. "Good night, Robin."

If the Titans had anything to say about it, he didn't stand around to hear it. He hastened to leave, stepping into the elevator for chambers.

To be continued….

* * *

Closing notes: First—new characters. There's Garrison Slate and William Randolph Wintergreen. Both of them are comic book characters and I based their backgrounds from their role in the comics. However, it does bear mentioning that Wintergreen _might_ have appeared in one of the episodes. Which one, you ask? Wind Beneath Her Wings pointed out that the episode would have to be _Final Exam. _Slade had a butler pouring him coffee, or maybe tea, since that's the British way.

The Aural Spectrograph mentioned in this chapter is a fictional version of the real thing. Like I mentioned, AS's could only be used to identify voice prints; meaning it matches recently recorded voice patterns with what law enforcers have on archive so they could identify a criminal, like with fingerprints. I heard that the CIA uses such a system to identify terrorists over communication devices, like phones and radios. They also use such information for drug cartel bosses and such. So don't go around telling everyone that Aural Spectrographs could identify voice masking and such things. I just made that up. And unlike fingerprints, voice prints are inadmissible in court, so it couldn't be used as evidence against the accused in a trial; at least, that's the way it is in most states.


	18. Search

Standard disclaimers apply.

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Eighteen - Search**

When Robin told them that they had to be up early the next day, he expected them to be dressed and ready at the Info and Rec Room at seven in the morning. This was standard and Robin had come to rely on all of them when it came to it, which was why it also meant that Robin would be in the Info and Rec Room by six A.M.

He liked the moments of solitude, but occasionally, when he was lucky, Starfire would be there before him.

On the morning they were due to see Wintergreen, he walked into a bare Info and Rec Room. He found that he was mildly disappointed but he was cheered by the certainty that Starfire would be along shortly. She was almost always the earliest one up.

Robin made coffee and was glad to discover that Cyborg had stocked up on Eggos. He popped quite a few in the oven. The others would appreciate a quick bite.

The coffee pot was half full when Starfire emerged from the elevators. He stared up at her and he gave a self satisfied sigh. Every single time he saw her in the morning, he couldn't help but think: _Richard, you lucky bastard._

"Morning," he said.

She flashed her crazy _You-Can't-Ruin-My-Mood_ smile and she descended the steps fluidly, reaching the kitchen counter with practiced ease.

"Coffee?" he asked.

She arched an eyebrow. "Boy of Wonder, I _know _you could do _much _better than that."

Robin grinned, leaning across the counter towards her. He caught her gently by the chin and kissed her. He was pleased to note that it was the kind of good morning she liked.

"Yes, please," she whispered.

He didn't understand immediately. Her kisses tended to befuddle him and the words "Yes, please," said in such an unholy manner made him think unholy thoughts. "Yes, please what?"

"Yes, please, I would like some coffee."

"Oh."

She giggled. _"Richard Grayson,_ what did you think I meant?"

"Apparently things I shouldn't be thinking." He shook his head disapprovingly at her soft laughter. He suspected she _knew_ what she was doing to him. He poured her some coffee in a mug and placed it in front of her, guiding her hands to the cup.

"Beast Boy asked me last night if we were together."

He was only mildly surprised by the news. He knew one of them would ask eventually; he just didn't think it would be so soon. "Didn't waste time, did he? What'd you say?"

"I told him to ask you."

He smirked. "I bet he hated that."

Starfire nodded. "Like _Haggis."_

"So is he going to ask me?"

She shrugged. "Perhaps not. You would probably just ignore him if he does. Beast Boy does not like to be ignored."

He sipped his coffee. "Nobody does, come to that."

"But if you had to give him an answer… if you had to give any of the others an answer… what would you say?"

"I'd tell them to mind their own business."

"Ah, that is what I thought."

He affectionately pushed some hair from off her face and took her hand. "I'm not ashamed of you. You know that."

She smiled. "Yes."

"But you know how weird I am. I don't like talking about myself, especially to the others. It doesn't mean _you_ couldn't talk about it, though. It probably sounds better coming from you, anyway."

Starfire laughed softly. "Well, I suppose they could figure it out by themselves."

"I was sort of counting on that. No need to ask; no need to tell."

It was still too early to expect the others to arrive, so Robin took advantage of their privacy to make up for the cold goodnight he gave Starfire.

Starfire was in the process of mesmerizing Robin with her seemingly innocent remarks about shopping for bubble-bath soaps when the elevator rang, which meant someone was coming up. The doors slid open but there was no one there. A few seconds later, the elevator doors closed.

Robin arched a questioning eyebrow and he saw Starfire concentrating.

She frowned. She probably couldn't tell. The subject was too far and too _small._

Robin sighed. "Beast Boy, what are you doing?"

The fifteen year old green boy popped out of the upper right hand corner of the elevator frame and complained. He had been a tiny house lizard. "Dude, you're no fun. Being a lizard in the morning is great!"

_Yeah, great for eavesdropping,_ thought Robin sardonically.

Seconds later, the elevator rang again. This time, it was Cyborg and Raven.

Cyborg looked slightly annoyed. "BB, you trippin'. Why didn't you hold the elevator for us when we asked?"

Raven made straight for the cupboards. "It amazes me how Beast Boy's nonsense still surprises any of you."

"Good morning, Raven!" said Starfire in her usual, sunshiny manner. "Good morning, everyone! Robin made Eggo. Isn't he sweet?"

"Like honey," said Raven.

Robin sneered. "Well, you got up from your usual side of the bed, didn't you?"

Cyborg greeted him with more cheer. "Robin m' man, you the best." He made easy prey of the tall stack of Eggos on the serving plate.

Beast Boy turned dog and sidled up to Starfire, sniffing in her general direction and then Robin's.

Robin frowned. "Okay, what are you doing _now?"_

Beast Boy retransformed to himself. "Nothing." He turned away and whistled, walking to the refrigerator as innocently as his bad-acting could manage.

Robin resisted the urge to tell Beast Boy, "Bad dog! Sit!" mainly because the others were already around.

Cyborg smacked his lips of the maple syrup. "BB, do we still have any bacon in there?"

BB did not look up from his task. "Go check on the morgue yourself."

"It's called a freezer," said Cyborg.

"It's got dead animal in it. It's a morgue."

"What does a robot have to do to get some bacon around here, anyway?"

Raven glared at him. Morning noise always made her mood worse. "How about getting up from your seat and going to the refrigerator?"

Cyborg scoffed. "That's a ridiculous idea."

Starfire sighed. "It is so early. _Please _do not fight."

She was, of course, ignored. Her appeals for peace, which was often, hardly ever got attention.

Robin shook his head as the chaos continued around them. Beast Boy and Cyborg were soon volleying "Is not!" and "Is to!" between them. Raven, apathetic as she was, managed to get a sarcastic word—or two—or three—in.

Robin hadn't realized they made this much racket at breakfast until he compared it to the days he spent having civilized and proper breakfasts in the Wayne Manor. This was probably how Starfire felt every time they got into their daily morning brawls.

Finally, Robin told all of them to shut up and get ready to leave.

Beast Boy, still a bit sore from the argument he was having with Cyborg, began to mutter, "Tell that to mister—"

Cyborg frowned. "Hey—"

"I don't want to hear anything else from you two _ladies."_ Robin shot them a look and that was enough to get both of them under control.

Robin stifled his own grumbling. _I swear it's like disciplining a brawling football team._

He led the titans to the garage and he immediately took the keys to the T-Car. He looked so put-off that Cyborg didn't even complain about who was going to drive.

The T-Car was _not quite_ repaired from its last ordeal with Fang. While Cyborg had worked overtime repairing the car's insides, the outside was just beginning its trip to Wellville. There was still a hole on the roof and the putty swathed on the sides was still visible, but Robin hardly cared. If it worked, it was good enough for him. He turned the ignition and it started just fine. It would get them to where they were going.

Robin buckled himself into the driver's seat and waited for everyone to board. He tapped his finger impatiently on the steering wheel and tried to review the questions he would have for Wintergreen.

He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder from the backseat. He looked and it was Starfire. She had a small smile on her lips.

She leaned over and whispered. "Are you mad at me, too?"

He blinked before he let a half-grin ease back to his lips. He chuckled. "Well, you know better than that," he said in an equally soft tone.

When everyone was settled in, Robin set the car into gear and began talking to them about Wintergreen.

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Wintergreen's house was in a nice upper middle-class suburb. Front lawns were perfectly manicured, lusciously green trees lined the streets and there was absolutely no litter on the sidewalk and gutters.

They passed the occasional dog-walker and Beast Boy would bark at the pooches, just to ruffle their glossy and perfectly groomed coats. The adults were properly shocked to see the Titans cruising down their crime-less streets, but when they passed by the elementary school, the kids practically stampeded to get the best view of the car from behind the mesh fencing. They yelled "Titans, go!" trying to out-shout each other.

Cyborg waved to them and the shouting intensified until their voices faded in the distance.

Their reception when they passed the local high school was more subdued, at least at the beginning. Both Cyborg _and_ Beast Boy went nuts trying to get attention from the girls and the fan-girls waved back, giggling coquettishly in their gym shorts.

The Goths they passed screamed "Raven! I would _die _for you!" while flashing a tattoo of Raven carved on his chest.

Raven was unimpressed but she did mutter about how boys and girls never wanted to live for her.

Starfire patted Raven's arm consolingly. _"I_ would certainly live for you, Raven."

"Thanks, but you're not necessarily suicidal. It's just not the same."

Beast Boy smirked and began to sing the opening lyrics of _Suicide Snowman_. _"If I had time to kill the world, I'd try. But I'm busy killing me…"_

Raven glared. "Don't mock Marilyn Manson."

"He kills chickens on stage," said Beast Boy darkly.

"I prefer my chicken dead, actually."

Robin sighed. "Knock it off, you guys. We're coming up Wintergreen's street. Beast Boy, go on ahead and scout the situation then come back quickly with a report."

"What, you're afraid he'd attack us with a gardening hose?"

Robin turned on his seat, leaning his elbow on Cyborg's back rest. He bore his gaze down on Beast Boy. He simply had little time to clown around.

Beast Boy pouted. "Jeez! It was just a joke…" It was his turn to get a consoling pat from Starfire. He turned cat and leapt out of the car window, darting down the sidewalk towards Wintergreen's house.

"I swear, if I didn't know Beast Boy ate tofu for breakfast, I'd think he's had too much sugar this morning," muttered Robin.

Cyborg scratched his head. "Well, I know he keeps a stock of Jolt cola in his room for his caffeine fix…"

"How long has he had this substance abuse problem?"

Cyborg arched an eyebrow. "Substa—lighten up, dude. It's cola… _not cocaine."_

Starfire giggled. "Well, I think he's funnier for it."

Raven rolled her eyes. "You think Dick Cheney is funny."

_"He is!"_

"When a Vice President's answer to a tough question is 'Go fuck yourself,' that's not funny, that's _sad."_

"Well, I'd be quite miffed myself if I had a four year Vice Presidential term ahead of me and my heart doctor only gave me two."

Robin and Cyborg laughed, bad moods forgotten. Even Raven's lip twitched.

"Now _that's_ funny," said Cyborg.

Starfire frowned. "I am confused, now. Telling everyone to 'f themselves' is _sad_ while having a heart attack is _funny?_"

It was Raven's turn to pat Starfie's arm. "Clinton already holds the inverse of that statement true, and you know how it is with Republicans and Democrats, they hardly ever do anything the same way."

Robin and Cyborg kept laughing.

Of course, it was even funnier that neither woman was prone to making jokes of any kind. Starfire could barely tell a joke to save her life and Raven's sarcastic wit wasn't meant to make people laugh.

By the time Beast Boy came leaping back through the window, Robin was in a much better mood.

He arched a questioning eyebrow at Beast Boy.

"Wintergreen's out back in his garden, just as we thought. I heard he wields a mean hand hoe."

Robin shook his head, though only half seriously. "Everyone's a comedian. Titans, could we just _go?"_

They did.

Cyborg and Beast Boy sought their lookout points; Robin, Raven and Starfire stood just beyond Wintergreen's backyard fence.

Raven pressed her hand against the fence to get a closer feel of Wintergreen. She closed her eyes briefly to concentrate then she stepped back. "He's docile right now," said Raven softly. "He's not going to hurt us; he can't; at least not in his current state. He's physically stressed; strained; odd for someone who's just gardening, so I suppose it's his old army injuries pinching; plus the fact that he's not getting any younger. I'm guessing the British Army and Hanoi took a lot from this guy. There's an underlying current of ferocity right now. It matches his profile; that he's stiff when it comes to his beliefs and principles and protecting those he considers important to him. Right now, it's his protectiveness that's ominous. He's hiding something."

"Or _someone, _maybe?" whispered Robin.

Raven looked unaffected. "I couldn't tell. His feelings aren't specific."

"Perhaps he would be kind to a curious, blind girl?" suggested Starfire. "Answer some of her well-put questions?"

Robin knew what she was getting at. "If you think I'll let you walk into his front door alone, forget it."

Starfire scowled but Raven nodded. "Robin's right. This guy isn't going to go soft on a pretty, blind girl with a perky butt. He won't answer your questions. He has to be intimidated to cooperate and that won't come easy. This guy's got grit. Balls like dynamite. He was incarcerated in Hanoi; how do you scare a man who lived through that?"

Robin cocked a smile. "Oh, I'm sure we'll think of something." He brought out his communicator and contacted Beast Boy and Cyborg. "Ladies, we're go for tactic S.E.S. Mid-level. He's not the bad guy… _yet._"

"Roger," they said in unison.

Raven and Starfire nodded.

"Let's go."

Tactic S.E.S. was an interrogation strategy they used to get what they wanted when the witness was potentially difficult. It was mostly harmless, known to occasionally cause pants crapping. Its name, after all, meant: Scare 'Em Shitless

Robin was torn between having Starfire rip through the fence or having Raven transport them with her dark powers in a large, eerie ball. In the end, he decided that doing both would be quite the show.

He figured that showing up full-force would garner the best effect so he had Cyborg and Beast Boy join them at ground level. Beast Boy looked particularly imposing as a huge, albeit green, Bengal tiger.

"Ready?" asked Robin.

Everyone nodded and Starfire stepped forward, placing her palm against the fence. She concentrated.

Robin said he wanted her to create an explosion and _disintegrate _the debris. Showmanship was everything, but he was considerate in a sense that he didn't want sharp boards skewering Wintergreen _unnecessarily_, to understate the matter. The blast would take precision on Starfire's part, but she had mastered the use of her bolts through the years and her vision, or lack of it, posed no problem to Robin's particular demands.

She could easily comply. Taking a deep breath, her hands glowed and the show began.

The effect was about as explosive as Robin hoped.

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William Randolph Wintergreen; gentleman; dog-show contestant; gardener; former agent of the MI-5 and special missions operative in the British Army was delicately attending to his plot of rare flowers when a sound he hadn't heard since his days in the battlefield assaulted his ears and bombarded the rest of his senses.

A section of the tall, unvarnished wooden planks lining Wintergreen's property was ripped apart and blown to splinters in a fantastic ball of green, the color bleeding through the air in shimmers. It was quickly replaced by a spreading dark power, devouring the entire yard in its terrifying, void-like maw.

Amidst the smoke and debris, the intruders were borne through the gaping hole of the fence, ushering them like ghosts in perfect formation and settling them at the center of the yard.

Through the haze, a red eye glowed dangerously, together with the green energy that had blown Wintergreen's back yard into a veritable warzone. When the noise settled, a deep throated growl rose from behind the gray mist.

Like a demon, a green giant of a cat emerged, padding around like a predator watching the movement of his prey.

Wintergreen dove to the ground on instinct, ducking beneath his hands. He shook, but his eyes remained fixed to the sights around him. There was no garden, there was no house in the suburbs; only an attack. He was back in the jungles of South America; or maybe back in South East Asia.

When the dust settled, the Titans stood glaring at him. At the head of the formation was Robin, the Boy Wonder; taller than he seemed in print and on television. As Wintergreen recalled, the lad was only fifteen when he assembled these Children of Olympus to protect Jump City and its surrounding districts. Now the boy was perhaps seventeen, going on eighteen, and he had noticeably grown in height, bulk and confidence. The boy turned man could go head to head with ten raging bulls with a cocky grin and then calmly dust himself off after. His stare, though hidden behind a mask, could conquer the fiercest of enemies. They said he fought and moved like the possessed Asian masters of old; they said he danced to the melody of pain and death. He could disarm a whole squadron of men in five seconds and jump off tall buildings without the slightest hint of fear. They said he was _human,_ but that was hard to believe.

Flanking him were the women; both otherworldly; both inherently an enigma.

Starfire, the Tamaranian, was tall and graceful; her unearthly beauty descended of the heavens; her wrath legendary for the power that fueled it. She could rise into the air and catch falling boulders with one hand, her strength wrapped in a deceivingly delicate and comely package. There were whispers that she was the Boy Wonder's woman; others said she was his protector. Either way, she was best not displeased. She was rumored to have lost her eyesight and her blank stare confirmed it, but apparently, she was no less dangerous; no less a Titan.

Raven, the half-demon from Azarath, was cloaked in shadow, her luminous eyes peering from a darkness beyond this Earth. She was coldness incarnate and her chill was said to penetrate to one's very soul. They called her a witch; they said she could summon Satan from the fiery chasm of hell and let evil reign upon the galaxies; they said she was _undead,_ feeding on the living. Rumors told of men and women gone mad with a single gaze.

Wintergreen averted his eyes from her.

He flinched in terror as the tiger, the Beast Boy, clawed at him, opening his saber-toothed maw to roar. They said his true form was not the least bit frightening. They said he looked like a skinny little boy with green skin and hair, but his powers were formidable, and one would be a fool to take him for granted. He took the form of animals with deadly accuracy. He acquired their powers; speed from a cheetah; the rampaging bulk of an elephant; the sheer strength of a thundering gorilla; the ferocity of a tiger… and with it all the wildness stirred beneath, primal and fierce.

And finally there was Cyborg, the perfect symbiosis of man and machine; a one-man platoon fitted with state of the art weaponry and the strength of an armored vehicle—a _tank,_ with a powerful canon that could _think._ He could see to the very core of his opponents with his electronic red eye. He could see the beating of his opponent's heart and target it. Death would be quick, but only if he chose it to be so. He had the physical power of the machine but his mind was human and that made him more dangerous than any robot ever made.

These were the mighty Titans, and they were in his yard.

Wintergreen felt his bladder go suspiciously weak, but he fought within himself to stay strong. In the back of his mind, he reminded himself that he been expecting them, whether or not he wished every day that they wouldn't come. He shouldn't be this surprised, but he was and he had to keep telling himself not to panic, that he wasn't completely helpless because he had a gun, however flimsy a gun seemed faced with the Titans.

But Wintergreen knew surprise was the least of his emotions now. He _was_ afraid. He had seen what these so-called teens had done to Slade; _twice._ Slade had been his stronghold; his pillar of invincibility, and they had conquered _Deathstroke_ like a common criminal.

He steeled himself. His dignity, at least, would stand firm.

His bladder constricted again but he fought to control it just when the leader of them began to speak.

"William Randolph Wintergreen," said the Boy Wonder in a calm but frightening voice.

_They know my name!_ he thought, shocked. But then he supposed he shouldn't have been surprised. It was the kind of information he sought when he worked for MI-5. The names were always the most important. It made their targets feel violated; _watched. _He glared at them, but cautiously.

The Boy Wonder stepped forward. "You have a lot of explaining to do."

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Robin was pleased to see Wintergreen so nonplussed. For the most part, he looked shocked, bewildered. The man didn't know what to do. But Robin had seen flashes of terror, which was just as well. He didn't expect that Wintergreen would remain very frightened for long; too many days in the army; too many nights in Hanoi. The man, after all, had to have honed _some_ nerves of steel to survive the British government, its army _and_ enemy torture.

The important thing was he and the titans had gained a gaping lead on the matter of intimidation. Even if Wintergreen resisted answering questions (Robin wouldn't expect less), he certainly couldn't resist for long.

As the smoke cleared, he saw Wintergreen rising from his crouch, straightening himself and treating his gardening jumps like a ruffled Armani suit. He was already recovering, but Robin noted with satisfaction that Wintergreen's hands shook—though only slightly—as he reached behind him.

Robin was impressed. _Bloke's got guts. _He darted his gaze to Raven and she was on the move before Robin could call out to her.

A spear of void shot in the direction of Wintergreen's wrist. He cried out, dropping the revolver he had intended to use. Raven summoned the weapon, tucking it safely away in her cloak.

Wintergreen clutched at his hand, no doubt having felt the jarring blow of Raven's power.

Beast Boy lunged at him, sending him sprawling on his back and staring wide eyed into a pair of feral orbs and sharp fangs. The paws on Wintergreen's chest constricted slightly, its claws nipping against his skin.

Wintergreen was petrified.

Robin cocked a smile. "A revolver? You gotta be kidding me."

"G-Get him off me." Wintergreen was trying to sound calm, British accent and all, but the tremor in his voice was difficult to suppress.

"Beast Boy," said Robin. "Interrogate now, lunch later."

Beast Boy gave one more menacing growl before hopping off Wintergreen and padding to circle the Titans. He stopped pacing beside Starfire who began scratching behind his ears. He purred, but even a tiger's purr could be frightening. Moments later he changed back to himself, but even the clownish look on Beast Boy's face was not enough to make Wintergreen less wary of him.

Wintergreen hastened to stand, taking a few steps back before clamoring to regain his composure. "What do you want from me?"

Robin's question was simple. "Where's Slade?"

Wintergreen swallowed, eyeing them as he took a deep breath, perhaps to gather his courage. "I cannot—won't tell you."

Robin crossed his arms over his chest, tapping a finger a tad impatiently. "Can't? _Won't?_ You have to make up your mind. I don't have all day."

Wintergreen glared. "What do you want from him?"

"And here I thought I was asking the questions." Robin's eyes wandered to the flower patch beside Wintergreen. He saw a most interesting set of blooms.

_Alcea rosea, _otherwise known as the Black Outhouse Hollycock; relatively rare. Most serious gardeners bought their seeds from the Underwood Gardens for the sheer novelty of cultivating the descendant blooms of Thomas Jefferson.

"Starfire, two o'clock, forty five degrees south."

Starfire released a bolt and a spray of purple petals exploded through the air.

Wintergreen gave a cry, jaw dropping in shock. "Do you bloody know what you just did? You—you--!"

Robin smirked. "Caused Thomas Jefferson to turn in his grave? Yeah. I'll ask you again: Where's Slade?"

"I _refuse_ to submit to this—"

"I'll make this easy for you, Wintergreen. Do you know where he is? Don't lie, now. _She'll_ know." He jerked a thumb at Raven. "And she _hates _liars."

Wintergreen shot Raven a terrified glance but his face turned haughty when he looked back at Robin. _"Children _shouldn't try to play with the Big Boys. If you were so good at this, you'd know the answer to that without having to ask me. _Of course_ I know where he is."

"Great! But you don't want to tell us, do you?"

"Why should I? I _owe_ you _nothing."_

Robin pretended to be distressed by this. "Oh, that's right. You don't have to do anything we say… but then, that means you're _hiding_ Slade; harboring a wanted felon. Slade's wanted in ten states for murder one, grand larceny, destruction of property… I can't even remember how many other charges… authorities are just dying to get their hands on him, but they'd settle for his _accomplice, _at least for the meantime."

Wintergreen looked outraged. "My record in this country is _impeccable. _You have nothing on me, Boy Wonder. Your word against mine, you have the burden of proof—"

"Cyborg, did you get all that on tape?"

"Loud and clear." Cyborg played back the conversation of the last two minutes.

Robin's grin widened as Wintergreen's scowl deepened. Robin sighed in satisfaction. "Well, isn't that lucky? I'm sure you know that _we_ can't arrest you, but I know a bunch of cops and feds who would be abso-_bloody_-lutely thrilled to get hold of this tape, if you catch my drift."

_"Listen, _I am _not_ a criminal. My reasons for having been in MI-5 and the British Army are probably the same reasons you've decided to take it upon yourselves to form the Titans."

"Oh! That's right, you're one of the good guys, but I tell ya', for a good guy, you keep some _really lousy company." _Robin wasn't smiling anymore. He was not the least bit amused to have himself likened to someone as questionable as Wintergreen.

Wintergreen's rising arrogance began to deteriorate again, and while he maintained his gentleman's bearing, his eyes bespoke regret. "Slade… was _not_ always the man you've come to hate. Before he became—_this villain,_ he was just—" He sighed, defeated. "A soldier. He saved my life, at the risk of his own. Not because he had to, but because he wanted to. He had a wife, and children. Did you know that?"

Robin nodded. "Shocking really. He was a mercenary. Killed for money. Then he would go home to his wife and kids. I don't know what he told his wife when she asked him how his workday went. I'm betting he didn't say, 'Oh, the usual. Killed a couple of people… got swamped with paper work…'"

"You would not be saying that if you knew Slade before he became the madman that he is. They did experiments on him, to make him stronger, but it affected his mind. It _made_ him evil."

_"Bill,"_ said Robin, deliberately choosing a nickname he knew Wintergreen would absolutely abhor. It worked. Wintergreen looked furious. "You don't mind if I call you Bill, do you? I don't _give_ a fuck what you thought Slade was _before._ Do you see these people with me? They're my team; they're my _friends._ One of us is missing; she's _dead. _She was fourteen years old when Slade drove her to her death. The ones you see here: He tried to _kill_ them and he wanted to make me watch them die. So tell me, _Bill,_ if you were me, would you give a rat's ass how nice and sunshiny he was _before?"_

Wintergreen exhaled, his jaw tightening. "It is _not_ that simple. You children have no concept of war and gratitude. When you're fighting beside a comrade, facing the reality that one or both of you may not make it back, you understand how the life of your comrade is just as precious as your own, especially if he jumps back into danger to save you. It is not the same as your crime-fighting exploits. In the wars we were in, we were just men. Nobody had superpowers; no one was stronger than the other. No one was more likely to live than any one of us. I _owe_ my life to Slade. Many, many times, when no one wanted to rescue me; when they were _ordered_ to desist, he didn't listen because the only thing he knew was that he had to save me and that I would do the same for him."

Robin was impassive. That was then; _now_ was a different matter altogether. What Wintergreen was telling him was irrelevant. "That person who rescued you from Hanoi is gone. What we have now is a Slade who's even worse than Deathstroke. Slade doesn't kill for money anymore. He kills for power and he'll stop at nothing to get it. If you're going to flaunt MI-5 and the British Army in our faces, then you're going to tell me where Slade is, because he is _exactly_ the kind of terrorist you would be in the MI-5 and the British Army for. Now, tell me where Slade is."

Wintergreen said nothing.

Robin frowned. "Go ahead and repay him by sheltering his sorry ass, but in case you haven't realized it, he would have been a _mass murderer_ if we hadn't stopped him. Your principles are twisted."

Wintergreen frowned. "Do you think I condone the things he does? I have _tried_ to make him listen to reason countless number of times. I've pleaded him to get help—"

"Well, excuse me. I didn't know they had group therapy sessions for power-holics at the YMCA."

"There's still a part of the Slade I knew buried inside him because he remembers me. That _must_ mean something."

"It means even bad guys like tea and crumpets."

_"Do not _belittle my regard for him."

"We didn't come here to play civil, Wintergreen. Slade is a dangerous man. We were able to prevent him from succeeding in his plans the last two times, but he doesn't seem like the type to give up. He'll try again, and I don't know how many more lives he'll take trying to accomplish his plans. The next time he takes a life, it'll be on _your_ head, pal."

Pain filled Wintergreen's eyes and he nodded; strangely compliant. "I know. All these years I've felt those lives bearing on me already. If he kills again, then yes, I will also carry those lives on my conscience. But I promise you; Slade will not be doing anything anytime soon."

Robin's gaze narrowed. He was growing tired of this. "Unless he's dead, I'm not going to believe that."

Wintergreen matched his glare.

Robin sighed, struggling with his patience. "You know, if you piss me off enough, that recording may find its way to the authorities after all. It's even better now that you've said you've been harboring him _all these years._ Somebody has to pay for all those lives Slade took."

Wintergreen's mouth twitched. His gaze took on a dark, menacing quality as he looked the Boy Wonder straight in the eyes. There was no response.

Robin went on. "I suppose compared to the guerilla-prisons of Hanoi, being incarcerated in the United States might not be so bad; not like your British government would care. According to them, you're dead. They could be stubborn, but even _they_ couldn't bring the dead back to life."

Wintergreen took a deep breath, scowling. "He's with Rose."

Robin arched an eyebrow.

"Rose Wilson. She's Slade's daughter."

Robin didn't think anything else would surprise him anymore after finding out Slade had a wife and sons; apparently, he was wrong. He looked over his shoulder at Beast Boy, as if to accuse him of _not_ having given him this information before hand. He _hated_ being surprised like this.

Beast Boy frowned.

Wintergreen went on. "You couldn't have known about Rose. _Slade_ doesn't know about Rose. Her mother was named Lillian Worth and Slade met her in Cambodia, after his divorce with Adeline."

Robin recognized the name Adeline, but not Lillian. Disturbingly enough, it meant Slade got around. _Propagating his line so he could spawn minions, or something, _he thought sourly.

Wintergreen continued. "Up until Rose was three, Lilli and her daughter lived somewhere in Thailand. It was where Slade met Lilli after all. Lilli and Rose eventually moved to New York. Rose has known about her father for years now, but she only got the notion to meet him a few months ago. Rose has been living here, pursuing that notion. She's… taking care of him now, in a secret facility. Her mother's connections are—well, dubious, but they have money and they could afford to shelter Slade."

"Where do we find Rose?"

A ghost of a smirk came to Wintergreen's lips. "There is a temple in the outskirts of the city; Cambodian. I don't know if you've heard of it. The temple's name is _Wat Buddhadharma. _If you take Route seventy eight to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway—"

"I know the place," interrupted Robin.

Wintergreen pursed his lips and went on. "The monks there know about Slade, but they don't make things like Slade's past their concern. He needed a place to stay, unharmed, and they gave it to him. The donation from Lilli, I imagine, helped a bit in convincing them, but they won't give you any trouble. They're a peaceful lot. You must look for Rose. Whether she will be amenable to you seeing her father or not—I imagine she wouldn't be. The irony of it is that she's been wanted to meet the lot of you, perhaps to kill you. Who knows what reasons a pre-teen may have; you and your MTV generation... "

"Well, she can't punk us, that's for sure. We'll deal with her."

_"Don't—" _there was a hint of panic in Wintergreen's voice, then he calmed. "Don't hurt her… _much. _Please, she's only twelve, after all."

Robin cocked a grin. "Well, if she plays nice…" He wasn't particularly afraid of a twelve year old, but he knew enough to be cautious. At twelve, he was a formidable enough fighter, and considering Rose was Slade's get, he wouldn't be quick to discount her. "You've been helpful, Wintergreen, however _foppish_ you tend to be. Maybe we'll see you again."

"I most _certainly_ hope not." There was no humor in Wintergreen's voice whatsoever but Robin found it terribly amusing.

He told Raven to get them out of there and they left the same way they came.

To be continued…

* * *

Closing notes: Just a bunch of FYI for those who might not be familiar…

_Haggis _is minced sheep lung, heart and liver (mixed with minced mutton, onions, roasted oatmeal and shredded suet) packed in a sheep's stomach bag. It is flavored with herbs and beef stock. It's a dish native to Scotland and while many _lowlanders_ find it—well, too exotic it's only slightly different from the Philippine _Bopis_ which I actually kinda like. You could see the bits and pieces of _Haggis_ when the stomach casing is sliced open (or ceremonially stabbed, bagpipes in the background and all) because it doesn't quite change from what it looks, uncooked; except maybe for the fact that the blood has been steamed out of it. You could imagine why Beast Boy would hate such a dish.

As for the political jokes… well, Dick Cheney (a Republican) in a fit of temper, told Senator Pat Leahy to "go F himself". And then in another fit of temper (I'm assuming) Cheney had a heart attack, which he recovered from. As the joke goes, Bush asked Cheney to be his running mate for the 2004 presidential elections. If Cheney wins, he'd be looking at another 4 year VP term; the problem being that Cheney's doc only gave him two years.

Bill Clinton: Democrat, late night's favorite butt—of their jokes, that is—virtually endorsed "F-ing" by having his interns do the job for him… yikes. Be that as it may, his f-ing around was funny as hell. Recently, he underwent heart surgery. Late night poked fun at that as well (heaven forbid they hold anything sacred), but since late night is filled with Democrats, they admitted to being saddened by the news—after they made jokes about the respirator _and the nurse_ being taken off him.


	19. Wat Buddhadharma

Standard disclaimers apply

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Nineteen – Wat Buddhadharma**

It took them nearly two hours just to get to _Wat Buddhadharma_. Route seventy eight and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway had lasted only fifteen minutes at top speed. The rest of their trip had been made on a lonely, isolated road. While Robin had heard about this temple, it wasn't exactly wrought with tourists.

When they arrived at the clearing that led to the temple gate, he leaned his elbow out of the car window and stared at the temple for the first time.

The temple looked like it had been plucked from the plains of the ancient orient and plopped right smack in the coast of America. It looked like it had been there for ages, but from what Robin understood, it had only been there in the last thirty years.

The stone steps were flanked by elephants carved into the terrace while androgynous faces stared blankly out on the streets between elephant trunks. Sitting atop the huge platform was the massive stone wall. There was a single, high arched entryway. It looked like it had been carved through the ten-foot thick perimeter wall. On top of the entrance sat three huge heads, each of them wearing towering and ornately carved cone-shaped crowns.

As Robin stared up at it from the driver's seat, he marveled at how cleverly Slade had been hidden.

"All this time, he's been here," said Cyborg, mirroring his thoughts.

Beast Boy leaned over, sticking his head between the seats at the front. "Think they're going to be a bunch of Shaolin Monks with Iron Fisted Monkey Furies and Flaming Claws of Tiger Bombs?"

Cyborg arched an eyebrow at him. "Isn't Tiger Bomb a rub-on analgesic?"

"No, that's Tiger _Balm. _That's _bad _medicine. It uses tigers, hence the name."

Starfire gasped. "That is awful!"

Raven grunted. "Star, you listen too much to what this genius has to say; it _doesn't_ have tiger. That's a myth."

Robin could let them go on discussing the merits of Tiger Balm but he decided he wanted to get this business with Slade over with. There was something very strange about this entire set up and he wanted to get to the bottom of it. That it was a trap, it was hard to tell. Considering Slade's modus operandi, he wouldn't be surprised, but there was something nagging at him; something he couldn't quite place. "Titans, let's get a move on."

They all stepped out of the car.

"So are we to just walk in there?" asked Starfire.

Robin nodded. Wintergreen did, after all, tell them the monks would be passive. "Yeah, but stay alert." It wasn't as if they could completely trust Wintergreen, after all.

After a quick survey of the area, the titans walked calmly up the steps of the temple. Their presence caused quite a stir, however quiet it was. The monks walking all over the open-air yard stopped and spoke with each other in hushed tones. There were children as well, dressed the same as everyone else.

Eventually, one of the monks approached them, serenity emanating from his eyes. His dark orange robes shuffled quietly as he moved. It was draped and wrapped around him in such a way that one shoulder and arm were exposed, but it was all held securely by a thick orange sash around his waist. He wore no ornamentation and he was bald, just like the rest of his brethren, though stubbles were evident on his scalp. He was skinny and he looked frail, but he in no way exuded fear.

"Do you wish to see the abbot?" he asked softly.

Robin didn't know if he wanted to see the abbot. He hadn't given it much thought, but he nodded and the monk bid them follow him.

Quietly, they did.

Robin noticed Raven's eyes taking in the scene with great interest.

The yard was lined with stone guardians sitting in lotus position. Everything that wasn't green and leafy was made of stone. If any wood had been used, they couldn't see it. He noted how the monks of the temple were not all Thai. It was a mixed group, particularly with the children. The younger ones peered at them with obvious curiosity.

Starfire, her hand on his arm, leaned over. "It is very quiet," she whispered.

He chuckled, his voice just as soft. "If you say too quiet…"

"No. The quiet is nice, like people around here prefer to think than speak."

"Now, if only I could take this atmosphere and put it in the tower."

Starfire pinched him in the ribs secretly and he winced. "You like the noise in the tower. Admit it."

_"Oww… _okay, maybe on occasion, I do, but like this morning—it was so annoying. Even Raven couldn't shut up…"

"I heard that." Raven shot him a glare but returned to surveying the area almost immediately.

Robin cocked a grin.

Starfire went on. "As nice as this quiet is, I do not think I would like it if I had to endure it every single day."

They were led to a man sitting quietly by himself in one of the stone alcoves. He had a small writing desk and he was scribbling furiously on a leather-bound notebook with a fountain pen. There was a portfolio beside him and it was thick with documents.

Beast Boy blinked at the sight. "Dude, is that a pen?"

Raven shot him a disdainful look. "Well, what did you expect him to write with?"

"I don't know… a feather?"

Cyborg clamped a hand on Beast Boy's shoulder when he saw that Raven wasn't even bothering to answer. "BB, just because he's a monk, it don't mean he's stuck in the middle ages. A feather for writing isn't even Asian in origin."

Beast Boy pouted but simmered into silence, crossing his arms over his chest defensively.

The abbot could hardly be distinguished from his fellow-monks from where they stood. He was just as bald and orange as the rest of them.

The monk who led them told them to wait some distance away while he approached the abbot by himself. The abbot looked up at the sound of the monk's arrival and his gaze momentarily drifted to them. He listened briefly to his monk before he nodded. The monk made his way back to them, gesturing for them to follow.

They did, and they were made to sit in loose lotus positions before him. The monk sat on the side, watching but separate from the conference. When they were settled in, the abbot smiled.

He had the same demeanor as his monk. He had no distinguishing ornaments and they could only tell he was the abbot because the monk said so.

The abbot smiled. "It is a blessing indeed to find the Titans in our temple. I am _Ajahn _Maha Bikkhu Kemarangsi. I am the abbot of _Wat Buddhadharma."_

As if on cue, a soft gong was struck in the distance, though Robin didn't think it was in response to the abbot's introduction. Robin made formal greetings and introductions. The abbot and monk listened politely as he rattled off their names.

When Robin was done, _Ajahn_ Maha nodded. "You will be surprised at how much we know of you and your team, Robin. The little ones in the temple love a good adventure and they have found that news of your exploits provide for their ever active imaginations. Best of all, it is always the good guys who win, in your stories."

Robin couldn't resist a wan smile. "Most of the time, anyway."

_Ajahn_ Maha had a wan smile of his own. "I think I know why you are here. We have been expecting you."

Robin nodded, accepting this. "We don't want to cause any trouble."

"That is apparent by your peaceful arrival. We appreciate how you have shown respect for the establishment. It will not be forgotten, however, we could only lead you to what you are looking for. What lies beyond its door is beyond our power. Rose Wilson, however dear she is to us, is very protective of her father. She will not let you see him quite as easily as you hope, and who are we to question her devotion to him?"

"We don't want to force anything on Rose Wilson if we don't have to. Can't you speak to her about it?"

The abbot gave a slight shrug. "I will try, of course, but the decision ultimately lies with her. Choice is, after all, Buddha's greatest gift to us. And speaking of which… have you _chosen_ to report Slade's whereabouts? Not that I am trying to influence your decision, but I would like to be properly informed. As you could see, we are very… quiet here and disruptions like the arrival of police may distress my monks. I wish to prepare them for that if it happens."

Robin considered it. "I'll let you know. You have my word on that."

They were led to a structure farther into the temple grounds. It was somewhat isolated, but it was large, though its double doors were relatively of a normal size.

It was the monk who pushed the double doors open. It was a dimly lit structure, illuminated only by the light streaming from some small, high-set windows and the entryway. It looked mostly like a storage room, but Robin supposed that was the effect Slade wanted to make.

He figured that there had to be a door somewhere that led to another facility. There was no way Slade would live in this dump.

_Ajahn _Maha stepped through. "Rose? Are you here?"

For a moment, no one answered, and Robin thought they would be spared having to deal with Rose Wilson, but he felt Starfire tense, the way she tensed when she knew an enemy was coming. It brought his guard slightly at attention.

"I'm here," said a disembodied voice. It was the voice of a young girl; a voice like Terra's, slightly accented, probably Brooklyn. It was strange how she tried to be anonymous while making her presence known. It was so like her father and it gave Robin a slightly uncomfortable prickle.

_Ajahn_ Maha, however, looked unbothered. "Good. The Titans are here to see your father. Will you let them?"

Again, silence prevailed before the reply came. "No." Her voice echoed in the cavern-like structure and it was hard to tell from which direction it was coming from.

Unable to help himself, Robin spoke. "We have business to settle with your father."

"No," she repeated. "You're going to take him away. I _won't_ let you do that."

Robin detached himself from Starfire and stepped forward, speaking to the darkness. "Rose, I don't know what you've heard about your _dad—"_

"I know what he's done," she said. "But I can't let you take him right now."

Robin took a deep breath. He had had enough of that kind of conversation for today. "Rose, we're going to do what we have to do whether you like it or not, but we don't want trouble. If you don't tell us where Slade is, we'll ask _Ajahn_ Maha and when he tells us, we're not going to let you stop us."

_Ajahn_ Maha sighed. "Rose…"

"No!"

"Robin! Above you!"

He hadn't seen it coming, but Starfire's keen senses had, and her warning had come soon enough. He whipped out his bo-staff and met the blow. A loud ring sounded through the room, followed by two more strikes from the side and front, both of which Robin blocked with expert precision. He jumped back, landing in stance and holding his bo-staff at the ready. The titans behind him were on instant alert.

Robin whipped out his smoke bombs, disks lodged at the ready between his knuckles.

Just beneath the rays of light, not too deeply in the shadows, someone stirred.

Robin turned his head slightly to address the monks. "You two… move _back."_

_Ajahn_ Maha and the monk looked terribly stressed, but they said nothing, doing as Robin told them.

_"Go away!" _Rose yelled. "Just leave him alone! He isn't hurting anyone."

"He's hurt enough people, Rose."

Rose growled in frustration. She wasn't the most patient of adversaries.

She jumped out of the shadows and for the first time, they saw who Rose Wilson was and she ceased to be a mere name.

She was petite, with shocking light blue eyes, but strangest of all was her hair: it was pure white and it fanned her face like the wings of an angel.

Rose held a bo-staff as well and she swung it at Robin. She didn't move with the same grace he did, but she knew how to use it, and apparently, she used it well enough.

Robin blocked and jumped over her, aiming to strike, but she evaded it, as if she saw it coming a mile away. She was strong, too; her strikes sending jarring vibrations crawling up the bones of his arms. He threw the smoke bombs, hoping to confuse her, but it was as if she walked right through the air pockets and came out swinging. He spun, flipped and turned complicated strikes, but she met all of them with startling competence, distinctly raw as it was. He jumped, landing on an elevated crate and turned a cartwheel in the air over her head. He caught her on her back, but he hadn't hit her hard enough, mostly because he had pulled his hit to keep from killing her. It was an error in judgment. She was _much_ stronger than she looked. With an angry yell, she spun and promptly clobbered Robin by his shins. It was incredibly painful, sending him flying back against a pile of potentially dangerous spikes of wood. He shot a birdarang, hooking it on a ceiling beam. The rotting wood gave, but the leverage was enough to swing him to safety. He landed awkwardly, his shins throbbing in pain. He struggled to get up, but he couldn't. His legs had gone unbelievably numb.

Beast Boy transformed into a gorilla and made a grab for her, but she evaded his grasp as well, landing a well-placed blow to Beast Boy's gut. He doubled over, transforming back to himself with an agonized yell. Rose's foot swung back and Beast Boy changed into an armadillo, rolling into a protective ball. He was sent hurtling to the far corner of the facility, crashing unceremoniously into a pile of more junk.

Cyborg fired, his canon set at stun, but Rose turned a graceful backward summersault, avoiding the blast. She landed firmly on her feet, tossed a plank in the air with her bo-staff and kicked it, sending it hurtling in Cyborg's direction.

He raised his arm for protection and blocked the projectile, but it had been a decoy. Rose was on him, slamming her bo-staff to the back of Cyborg's head. He toppled to the ground, stunned by her strength.

Raven reached for her with her dark powers but the tendrils missed every single attempt to catch the agile young girl. Rose came at her, eyes ablaze with fury. Raven's immediate response was to protect herself, but for some reason, Rose slipped past her shield and swung, clobbering Raven by her midsection. Raven crashed against the wall and then face down on the floor, dust rising where she hit.

There was a blast of green, Starfire's bolt singeing a lock of Rose's hair. Rose turned on her, bo-staff aimed to brain Starfire.

Perhaps shocked that Rose would attack someone who couldn't see, the abbot stepped forward. "Rose Wilson!"

It probably affected Rose, to an extent. Whatever the abbot's voice had done, it might have shattered Rose's focus. What happened next was too fast for anyone to make out clearly.

Starfire raised her hands, catching the bo-staff in her grip and swinging Rose towards the wall. Rose slammed against it with a yell, cracks forming where she hit, but amazingly, she kept her grip on the weapon, swinging right back and slamming Starfire with the same, destructive force. It was, however, evident that Starfire was stronger. Starfire yanked the bo-staff towards her and she caught Rose by the neck.

Rose snatched something from beneath her shirt and Robin watched her pull it out with growing horror.

It was a semi-automatic gun and she had its barrel pressing against Starfire's temple. If in the next two seconds Rose pulled the trigger, Starfire would be _dead._

Robin yelled—he didn't know what he said. All he knew was that the thought of losing Starfire ripped through him like knives. He pushed himself to his feet shakily, desperate to do something.

But for some reason, the gun didn't go off in the next two seconds, and it was enough for Starfire to toss the bo-staff aside. Perhaps she didn't know that a gun was aimed right at her, point blank; perhaps she didn't care, though that would have been highly unlikely, but she dealt with Rose without fear. Starfire's hand charged and then fired a bolt, sending Rose tumbling back; unconscious in the shadows while the blast of star bolts and gun fire mingled in the air.

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Robin skidded to Starfire's side on his knees, unmindful of who saw him. He cupped Starfire's face in his hands and checked her from side to side with urgent need. The imprint of the barrel was clear to see on Starfire's left temple and he smoothed a thumb over it. It turned his stomach.

_So close… _

"R-Robin?"

She was unharmed, and he let out a breath, a strange weakness suddenly overcoming him. Still clutching her face in his hands, his head drooped forward in relief. He shook his head to steady his rattled nerves.

"Starfire, _are you alright?"_ Raven asked pointedly from behind them.

Cyborg fell beside Starfire, scanning for her vitals just to make sure. He gave a thumbs-up sign a few seconds later.

Beast Boy scampered out of the junk, newly conscious. "What the _hell _was that?"

Starfire frowned, somewhat confused. "I am fine… was that a gun?"

A stab of anger rose in Robin. _"Yes! _Starfire, you _have_ to be aware of these things! What if she fired? What if she—she had it aimed to your head. Did you know that?"

"I felt something, and I did think—I wasn't sure. I could smell the powder, but she wasn't doing anything, so I took a chance—"

Robin groaned. "Oh God… you _don't_ take chances with a gun, do you hear me?" He tried to control the shaking that was creeping up on him. "You don't…" He was going to pop a vein. He knew he was.

Raven knelt beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Robin, you have to calm down. She's fine. We have business to take care of. _This_ could wait."

Robin took deep, calming breaths, knowing that Raven was right. He pried his hands away from Starfire, getting to his feet and meeting the anxious stares of the abbot and monk.

He ignored their concern for the meantime. He had other things to see to. "We need rope," he told them. "Lots of it."

The monk, with a quick word from the abbot, scampered off. The abbot stayed to go to Rose.

Robin looked over his shoulder at Starfire, just to make sure she was alive; unhurt. In those two precious seconds, he faced the reality of how quickly he could have lost her. All it took was a pull that lasted a heartbeat. If Starfire had acted a bit slower, Rose could have killed her anyway. He wanted so badly to hold Starfire right now. His psyche was screaming for reassurance that Starfire was whole and well, but he had things to do. He could love and scold her later.

As Robin crouched to Rose's unconscious form, the abbot looked up at him with guilt.

"I did not know she had a gun," said the abbot. "Had I known I would have warned—"

"It's not your fault," said Robin, meaning what he said. "A gun is always easy to hide."

"Your friend—"

"She's okay. She's alright." He was telling himself as much as he was telling the abbot. Centering himself to get his focus back, Robin looked at Rose's sleeping face. He didn't know if she looked like her father; he had never seen Slade's face, but he could tell she had Slade in the blood; the skill at fighting; the viciousness; the intensity of her movements. He couldn't understand exactly how she beat him. It was so clear that he was so much more superior than she was with the bo-staff. He wasn't sour-graping, it was just fact. He moved like a veteran and she moved like a beginner. There was nothing to explain how she could have beaten him, but she did. He thought maybe it was her speed; but what speed it was! It was almost as if she knew what he was going to do before he thought it.

He was still trying to figure it out when the monk returned, bringing with him, not rope, but yards of orange silk.

"Forgive me, but this is the best I could find."

"That'll do," said Robin. He told Raven to check Rose for weapons, particularly sharp ones and she did, diving into the most unlikely hiding places she could think of, as well as the likely ones.

Raven stepped back when she was done. "Unless she's got a switchblade up her ass, she's clear."

They proceeded to wrap her, shoulder to feet. She looked like she was in a bright orange cocoon, but it was the only way to be sure that Rose couldn't wiggle out of it. She had shown too much skill to be taken for granted. Thoroughly incapacitated, they set Rose to the side, leaning against the wall. Her head was bowed forward and she would be asleep for a while, but that was completely fine with them.

She looked uncomfortable, but they didn't particularly care at that point. She looked just about like any pre-teen, but there was apparently nothing ordinary about her, because she had almost beaten the Titans single-handedly; almost killing one of them in the process.

"Okay, here's the million dollar question: _What_ the hell is she?" Cyborg asked the abbot. He hadn't liked being one-twoed, especially not by a puny little kid.

Raven sniffed. "She's slightly precognitive. I felt it. She knew what we were going to do before we did it. _Definitely_ not normal, but she's untrained, which is why she lost it when her focus was shattered."

Beast Boy's eyes widened. "Is that how she beat Robin?"

Robin's lip twitched but he made no reply.

Raven, probably aware of how it was affecting him, replied with a slight smirk. "Yes. And I think her speed isn't normal either. Did you see how fast she was going? The only reason Starfire caught her was because Star wasn't using her eyes."

_Ajahn_ Maha nodded. "Raven is mostly correct. Rose does have peculiar powers of intuition, but when she wants to, she could see _far_ into the future. Apart from that, she is indeed supernaturally fast, and quite strong, too. That little girl could carry up to thrice her weight."

It confirmed Robin's suspicions and it made him twice as worried. "That _little _girl is also obviously a _daddy's girl._ When she's not so little anymore..." He let his words trail. He was well aware that no one deserved to be condemned for acts they haven't committed, but the possibilities were clear enough and he could see that everyone was thinking it.

Robin placed a hand on _Ajahn _Maha's shoulder. "We tried the polite way—obviously, it didn't work. Will you tell us where Slade is?"

_Ajahn_ Maha stared at him before his eyes roved momentarily to Starfire. He nodded. "I shall." He told the monk to stay with Rose, to keep her tied when she woke, no matter how much she pleaded or threatened to be let go.

The monk nodded in acquiescence.

The abbot rose, telling them in a soft voice to follow him.

Robin hadn't expected that the abbot would _bring_ them to Slade. Again, the strangeness of the entire thing struck him, but at that point, he was too rattled to think too much on it. He kept his guard up; saw that the rest of the titans were doing the same. It would have to be enough.

They were ready for Slade. This time, he wasn't going to get away.

888888888888

The facility looked a lot like a hospital.

The walls, floors and ceilings were white, presumably sterile. It had amenities like a bathroom, a small kitchen, a no-nonsense dining area and the occasional black-faced socket.

To reach the facility, they had to take a hidden elevator from the old building. It was cleverly camouflaged by seemingly random stacks of wood that retracted upon the closing of the elevator doors.

There was a short walk down a hallway where they first encountered what looked like Rose's room. There was a plain bed with plain sheets, but along the walls were posters of pop stars, rock stars and the occasional teen superhero; mostly Aqualad and Speedy. She had a television, but Robin supposed a signal was impossible so far underground. Underneath the television was a DVD player and a gaming console that looked like it had been recently played. To one side of the room there was a huge shelf that consisted of books, DVDs, videogames and compact discs. Judging by the size of the collection, Rose certainly didn't watch much cable. The facility _was_ supposed to be secret, come to that. They certainly wouldn't risk having over a talkative cable guy. Probably the only ones who knew about the facility were Lillian Worth, Wintergreen and Rose.

The entire set up clearly cost quite a bit of money, but as Wintergreen said, Lillian Worth had the financial capability to provide for it.

The abbot brought them to a room, and what they saw there shocked them into silence.

Robin and the rest of the Titans stood around the body of a man they didn't recognize. He was noticeably a man of bulk; clearly muscular before; grown flabby from inactivity. There were machines attached to him indicating his vital signs with beeps and ticks. Two drips were attached to his arm keeping him constantly hydrated and the respirator nearby helped him to breathe.

The lines on his face had been smoothened by sleep and they could see that one eye had been mangled beyond recognition. What little was left of his hair was white, much like Rose's, but it could have been age. Parts of him were scarred with burns; healed now, but judging by the scar tissue, the burns had been severe. Like this man had been dipped in a pool of lava. It could have been…

"W-What is happening?" asked Starfire uncertainly. The silence was pregnant beyond belief.

Everyone turned to her, but no one said anything for a moment. Finally, Beast Boy spoke. "Is that Slade?"

The abbot did not wait to determine whether Beast Boy was addressing him. "Yes, this is Slade Wilson. He has been in a coma for months now. He went to one William Randolph Wintergreen initially for help… I assume you know him since you knew where to look."

Mutely, they nodded.

The abbot continued. "Mr. Wintergreen knew he couldn't help Slade by himself, so he brought Slade to the hospital. He contacted Ms. Lillian Worth immediately and with Ms. Worth's resources, they were able to get Slade out of the hospital a few hours later with little problem. I understand that the city was in a bit of chaos at the time so the doctors couldn't be entirely bothered by details such as strange medics taking a patient out of their hands. Slade was brought to a more private location but was eventually transferred here after quick construction of the facilities. He has been here since."

Robin tried to summon his logic. "Didn't the contractors ask any questions while they were building this place? There _had_ to be a lot of people involved. _Someone _must have said something."

_Ajahn _Maha shook his head. "They thought they were building a clinic for the monks; a valid assumption. Even we get sick at times. The camouflage at the entrance wasn't placed until after they were done constructing the facility, so they had no reason to suspect. And people seem to find it off-putting to question men of cloth about anything that might suggest we are doing anything improper."

Irritation surged in Robin. "Well, aren't you? Doing something _improper? _Harboring a known killer—"

_Ajahn _Maha made a soothing gesture to quiet him. "We are merely giving him a place to heal. We were not _hiding _him; no one _asked_ about him until you came. We are not a brotherhood to judge, Robin. All we know is that this man has needs; needs we could provide. Ms. Worth offered a sum of money and it helped in the upkeep of our temple and the orphans in it. You understand that it is beyond our beliefs and our means to have refused him."

After a moment's thought, Robin grudgingly nodded. There was one more thing they had to do, just to make sure. Robin looked at Raven, his eyes pleading. He knew Raven could draw latent feelings, even from those long past. Emotions, especially strong ones, left imprints, and from such emotions, there were always glimpses of a person's identity. Raven could find out if this was Slade with her powers but he couldn't force her to do it. Raven had explained that she never liked intruding into anyone's mind. She described it as going into a church and stealing right from its walls, but she knew that if she had to, she would.

To Robin's relief, Raven stepped forward, standing herself at the head of the bed. "I have to peek into his mind; try to search for images attached to his emotions so I could read his memories. I won't hurt him."

The abbot studied her a moment before he nodded.

Permission confirmed, Raven placed her hands on the man's head and closed her eyes. It took only a minute, maybe two, but Raven was clearly distressed nearing the end of her search and then she was stepping away from the bed, wrapping her arms around herself before falling to her knees on the floor.

Robin was crouched beside her immediately, trying to determine if Raven was in danger of passing out.

Raven had her eyes squeezed shut and she took deep, hefty breaths through her teeth.

Robin put a firm hand on her shoulder. "Raven? Hey, Raven. Speak to me. Are you alright?"

She gave a grunt of effort before she began to nod.

The abbot looked worried, watching from several feet away.

Cyborg knelt on the other side of her, scanning her vitals quickly.

Starfire placed a hand on Beast Boy, her concern plain on her face. Beast Boy began telling her what was happening in a hushed voice.

Slowly, Raven's eyes opened, her shoulders growing less tense.

Robin eyed her critically before he looked to Cyborg for the results of his scan. Cyborg gave a nod, confirming that at least physically, Raven was sound.

"It's just—" began Raven by way of explanation. "I hadn't expected the biting cold. It was like his emotions were sealed in solid ice. He has this great desire to be powerful, an obsession for controlling everyone, but his other human traits had been swallowed by his madness…"

"Raven," said Robin, clutching her by her shoulders. "Is it Slade?"

Raven's face became the picture of dead calm again. "Yes."

There was a collective sound of drawn breaths, from Robin most of all.

When he was sure that Raven would be alright, he rose to look at the man on the bed again.

It was hard to believe that the man whom he had cultivated a near-obsessive hatred for was now lying helpless before him. He looked at Slade's face; that had been part of his obsession as well, to see the man behind the mask, and now here he was.

The respirator _was_ the only thing that stood between Slade and death. Robin, for all his revulsion to kill, did allow himself to think: _All I have to do is pull the plug and it'll be the end of Slade for good._

But of course, he couldn't do it. He simply could not take this life that couldn't even breathe by itself.

Robin had always envisioned his final battle with Slade to be explosive; horrifying; heart-stopping; death-defying. Perhaps if those were the circumstances, causing Slade's death wouldn't grate on his conscience. _Defending_ himself from Slade was a hell of a lot different from _killing_.

To have Slade so vulnerable; so easy to kill; left a repulsive taste in Robin's mouth.

_No, _Robin told himself. _If Slade ever wakes up, I'll be there to meet him, but for now, if Slade dies, it's not going to be because of me. _

He felt Starfire's warmth as she clung to his arm. "Robin… are _you_ alright?"

"Yeah." He realized that he had barely formed the word. He hated this man with a passion, but he found himself turning away, clutching Starfire's hand tightly. Between finding Slade, comatose, and having almost lost Starfire to a bullet, he was sapped of strength. "Titans, let's go."

The others followed him.

Robin let Starfire lean on him as they made their way out of the facility. He held her hand and he tried to get as much comfort from her presence as possible.

They remained speechless through out the entire ride up.

Robin tried to be positive, tried to find relief in the fact that right now, Slade wasn't hatching a plan to overrun the world. Slade wasn't planning an attack on the tower. Slade was in no condition to kill anyone. He was comatose, and he was caught. Unless he woke up, there would be no worrying about Slade in the meantime.

The world was safe, his friends were safe, Starfire would be safe.

When they emerged from underground, they found that Rose was conscious but too tied up to do anything but glare.

Her face was red with effort. In all likelihood, she had probably petted and bullied and struggled to get out of her bindings. Certainly, the monk looked weary enough.

"Are you giving him up to the authorities?" she asked through grit teeth.

The titans waited for Robin to make the reply.

He nodded gravely. "Yes, Rose. We have to."

Her face crumpled, tears falling from her eyes.

Robin, his emotions strangely gone blank, was not affected by the fall of her tears. "Cyborg, call it in."

Cyborg nodded. "Connecting."

Robin looked to the abbot and the abbot nodded, understanding. He excused himself, telling them that he had to prepare his monks for the arrival of the police. The monk scampered after him in relief.

"I hate you!" hissed Rose from the floor. "Didn't you see that he couldn't do anything in his condition? He's sick… _he's dying! _Leave him alone!"

Robin shook his head. "We couldn't do that. We couldn't just walk out of here and let him be. He's killed too many people; hurt too many."

Rose yelled obscenities through her sobbing but the titans merely reacted with a slight wince. Her mouth was filthy and they weren't keen on matching her on it. Finally, she settled down. She was still crying, but the cursing had stopped, at least audibly.

Starfire shifted and Robin was surprised when she crouched down to Rose's side. She pulled a handkerchief from inside her shirt, tenderly wiping the tears from Rose's face. Rose was just as surprised as everyone, but she stared up at Starfire with less contempt.

"I—I didn't want to shoot you, you know," said Rose all of a sudden.

Robin reacted badly from within. He wanted to yell at Rose for it, but he bit his lip upon seeing that Starfire merely smiled with a gently put, "Oh?"

Rose nodded. "I've—I've never shot anyone. It doesn't—when you're holding a gun to someone's head it's not easy to pull the trigger. Those dudes in the movies make it look so easy, but it's not. When it hits you that you have someone's life in your fingertips, it just… it's not something you take lightly."

Starfire placed a hand on Rose's head. "I am glad you think so, Rose."

Rose sniffed to clear her nose. "Your instincts—they have merit. I saw some of your future and it told me that. Also, well—things are going to get tough for you for quite a while, but Mar'i will help."

Starfire arched an eyebrow. "Who is Mar'i?"

"If you let my father go I'll tell you?" It had been put like a question, like a child asking an adult if she could have a cookie before dinner.

Starfire answered her inquiry with a chuckle. "Then no thank you. I will just have to wait and find out for myself, if indeed it is in my future."

It took a while for the police to arrive. _Wat Buddhadharma_ was a long way off the main roads, but when they arrived, the Titans felt a great relief. While Slade Wilson couldn't be put on trial and sentenced until he woke up, he would be in the FBI's custody, and that would have to do.

However, in spite of the heavy burden lifted from off his shoulders, one question hovered in Robin's mind and possibly on everyone else's: If it hadn't been Slade, then who the hell was behind it all?

To be continued…

* * *

Closing notes: As a bonus at the end of the fic, I'll be providing a link to my Writer's Cuts. Yes, those written scenes which veered off tangent so scandalously that good taste simply flew out of the text like a bat out of hell. It's not going to be pretty, so read at your own risk. I am very serious about this warning. If your read those clips, you might have to douse your eyes with Clorox if you want to forget that those clips ever existed. And if the Clorox doesn't work, don't blame me. I warned you!

There's probably a route 78 somewhere out there, and Benjamin Franklin, just like JFK, Roosevelt and George Washington, has lent his name to a parkway, bridge or avenue in all fifty states, but the way I used them in this chapter probably doesn't fit in the San Francisco road-scape. It's a made up road. I considered using an actual highway and road and stuff, but heaven forbid I put a Buddhist temple right smack in the middle of some Mr. and Mrs. Smith's backyard. And since I'm the type of person who likes going around Manhattan saying, "Let's go to this place! I saw it on TV!" I figured I'd do the considerate thing and come up with a place that doesn't exist.


	20. Behind the Veil

Standard disclaimers apply.

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.**

**GUIDING STAR**

**Chapter Twenty – Behind the Veil **

Starfire breathed deeply of the air-conditioned atmosphere in the Info and Rec room and smelt nothing but the piney scent of freshener. There was no coffee and no scent of her Boy Wonder. That was most understandable. She was early. As her talking clock had told her, it was "Six-oh-three a.m."

The chill brought by the cold air did not affect her. Her tolerance for cold was higher than that of an Earthling's, especially since as a Tamaranian, a lot of her physical responses could be influenced by her emotions. Sometimes, it was as common as feeling boundless confidence when she needed to summon her strength, or unbridled joy to summon flight. At other times, it was not a matter of _wanting _to feel but being compelled to do so, like when she had taken that trip into the future and she had looked upon Bludhaven for the first time. The cold had penetrated to her very bones, not only because it _was_ cold, but because she had felt _so_ alone; so torn from the people she loved. Even the sight of Robin—or Nightwing—as he had called himself, had done little to warm her. He had sounded so distant; strange. He had looked at her as if she was some ghost and for the life of her, the first few minutes talking to him, she could not associate Nightwing immediately with the boy she knew. It was only after she was gazing upon the "old" uniform encased in glass and feeling his hands draping warmth on her shoulder that she began to realize: yes, this was Richard. He was all grown up but inside he was indeed the boy she knew.

When she left the future to go back to her time, Nightwing had _looked_ at her. She couldn't tell what his expression was behind the mask, but she had felt his hands pressing above hers, and his grip was tight. Right then, she felt a pulse of unbelievable sadness; not his—she was not an empath, but hers. It lasted only for a few seconds and she had since then convinced herself that those precious heartbeats meant nothing, for it seemed preposterous—even unacceptable—for a thirty six year old man to be drawn to a fifteen year old girl, at least by Earth standards, but now she felt it _did_ mean something; and for all the romantic notions behind it, she _didn't_ like what it meant. He hadn't wanted her to go, because he had been _alone _and he didn't want to be alone anymore.

The thought that Richard would ever feel abandoned hurt her terribly and she had sworn that as long as she lived, she would make him feel that he always had someone who wanted him.

Robin was so guarded, so reluctant to show himself to others. She was grateful that he trusted her enough to let down most if not all of those walls, but she was fully aware that it was without prejudice to his right to put those guards up again. With Robin, one could spend an entire year with full access to his inner-workings and then suddenly find ones self shut out completely. She wasn't afraid of that happening between them, though. Robin would probably usher her out every once in a while, but never would that be a permanent arrangement. Not anymore. This time, he had given her a key of sorts. She would always have access. It would be up to her to respect his privacy when he wanted it.

Starfire took a moment to tune her senses to the large room. Standing on the platform, it was common for her to feel the wideness of space; with nothing but the roof and walls as obstacles. It was only when she directed her proprioception downward that she encountered objects; object she knew by memory; the dining table, the kitchen counter, the large couch…

As the landscape formed in her mind, she added the windows and the view of the city. There would be sunlight and there wouldn't be a cloud in the sky, regardless of the weather reports of that day. She never bothered with such details of how it actually was outside unless it was relevant; like when she had to attend class and there was the possibility of rain. She certainly couldn't imagine a sunny day when she was being soaked to the skin; she would need an umbrella to even come close.

It was odd how her condition had ceased to be about _nothing_ and "not seeing". She was of course most aware of the fact that she was _blind._ She would have to be insane to think otherwise, but in a lot of other ways she _could_ see and her mind's eye had never been clearer. Her reconstructed world was mostly bright and shiny, marred only by the occasional stormy weather; like being troubled about Slade, or having a fight with Robin. Other than that, it was easy to make things picturesque without having to delude herself. And having lost her eyesight, she became aware of how her other four senses painted even more vivid pictures, perfectly imperfect, beautiful for all its flaws. Sometimes she even thought that her sense of reality had been more distorted when her eyes could see and it was only now, free from the preconceived notions brought by vision that she could look upon things more for what they were, and not necessarily for what they looked like.

Starfire walked the platform and made her way down. There was a time when she consciously had to count her steps, measure her gait, feel around too much with her walking cane to even make the short trip from one end of her room to the other, but much of that had changed. By rote, she had mastered the dimensions of several tower haunts. She had a firm grasp of her gait and she could adjust it accordingly, almost algorithmically.

It had been tough at the beginning, but her transition had been quicker than what was expected of Earthlings; this she understood from her interactions with others like her; from her professors and even from the titans. A lot of times, she was made aware of how different she was by the surprise she generated from everyone around her over something she considered so matter-of-fact, but it was only through Robin she learned how different didn't necessarily mean unacceptable, and that surprise didn't necessarily translate to repulsion.

_Richard would be along a bit after __six thirty_She smiled at the thought. The anticipation of being with Robin always gave her a kind of thrill. Having him suddenly there when she had expected him to be somewhere else was the nicest feeling in the world. It was especially nice when he tried to be affectionate to her in subtle ways when the others were around. She knew he was doing it for her, because he was certainly the kind of person who believed there was a time and place for everything; that work and play couldn't be mixed. When he decided to do research, he put everything else aside in his mind and worked. In the same manner, if he had made plans to be with her at an appointed time, he would close his business with the books and computers, leave his work station and devote his attentions to her and her alone. Perhaps it explained how amorous he was when he decided to be.

Naturally, at the beginning, she wasn't sure how passionate Robin could be, taking it from his seemingly detached and precise approach to the Titans. She had been willing to put up with restrained caresses and pert, practical kisses, so she had been completely unprepared for his undeniably steamy, almost possessive kissing and touching. His lips, tongue and hands certainly had the power to scatter her thoughts to the wind, leaving her bare for him to do with as he pleased. It was only lately that she realized how his focus and intensity for work also translated to his focus and intensity for loving; that and the more subtle psyche of how his life was also built around the perfection of his physical self.

All his life, it had been about strength, speed, agility, catch, hit, hold. As a child he had been an acrobat, as a teen he was a master of martial arts, as a leader, he protected them all. Purely human, with no meta-powers whatsoever, he had, up to this point, used his body to fight. Now that he was using it to love, he probably didn't consider it all that differently. He would kiss her and then kick the bad guy; he would hurtle from off the edge of a building and then hold her in his arms. Physicality defined things for him. All he had to do next was embrace it in its entirety, with her.

She would let him, if he wanted to. She would be most willing, if he let himself, but for some reason he wouldn't. For some reason, he held back. She knew it wasn't because of something she was doing wrong. She had certainly _felt _how much he wanted her in that way, particularly in his nether regions. No, he had his own reasons; it wasn't about her. She was willing to wait. There was no hurry.

Starfire felt around for the coffee pot and gingerly washed it in the sink with soap and water. She felt the suds coating her fingers and then popping, tickling the backs of her hands. She smiled. She made sure the soap was all rinsed out before placing the pot back in its carriage on the coffeemaker. Next she gingerly felt around for a cup. After making sure she had the right one, she used the cup to measure water, filling it to the brim before dumping its contents into the coffeemaker's water-tank. She did this several times before she swung the water-tank's lid shut. The measurements, she knew, weren't as exact as it used to be when she had the benefit of following the embossed grids along the tank, but she found that using a cup to measure instead of lines worked just as well if she adjusted the proportions of the coffee. She felt around for the can of coffee. She found one that may be it. She lifted the flexible plastic lid and sniffed. It was ice-tea mix. She giggled at the thought of putting ice-tea mix instead of coffee.

Robin wouldn't complain, but he certainly held his coffee sacred. She groped around again, found another can and this time, when she sniffed, she smelled the delicious, robust scent of coffee. The filters were much easier to look for. The texture of the paper used for coffee-making was distinct. She assembled the materials and ingredients, made sure that the machine was plugged, checked if everything was in place and then flipped the switch.

She grinned broadly. It took her a while to master coffee making in her condition. She did have mishaps with the iced tea, and when she learned from that, she would discover that she had used too much water, so she made adjustments to the brew; and then when she had the proportions down pat, she would discover that the coffee maker was un-plugged, sitting there in the last fifteen minutes _not_ making coffee. And then just when she thought she had everything set, her last mishaps was that she had switched the machine _off_ instead of on. Now she had it all figured out. In the last week, she had made perfectly brewed coffee.

It was funny how she had come so far in other, more important things and be delighted by something as mundane as brewing coffee.

But perhaps that was what appealed to her sense of accomplishment; the mundanity of it.

Leaning over the counter, she listened for the coffee to brew before her thoughts drifted to the past.

It had been two weeks since they discovered Slade in _Wat__ Buddhadharma._ It was the Federal Bureau of Investigation agents who took him. The cops came as well, and many of them grumbled when faced with the reality that they wouldn't be seeing Slade from then on. Rose had been treated fairly. Under law, she was exempt from the crime of harboring a suspected felon because Slade was her father. Of course, her lawyers would have to see to her welfare on the matter, but there wasn't much to worry about with her, except maybe her growing up and resenting the Titans for taking her father away from her. However, it was entirely possible that they didn't have to worry about her vengeance either. After she started speaking to Starfire, there was no longer any trace of her earlier hostility.

While waiting for her lawyers to arrive, she had addressed them with open curiosity, asking them where their parents were; if they went to school; if they watched TV just like everyone else. Her only dealings with superheroes until then had been through her magazines and the occasional news article, and perhaps just like any intelligent individual, she wasn't quick to believe what was on print. They answered her after they had gotten over their initial surprise. Never, through the course of their getting acquainted with Rose Wilson, did it occur to them that she would be interested in them in any way other than exacting her revenge on them.

As the young girl became more comfortable with them, however comfortable one could be wrapped in monk's silks, so did the other children of the temple. They sat around the Titans, perhaps fascinated by the very sight of them.

Beast Boy told her that the kids had actually been standing around for the longest time, and it was only after Cyborg began waving to them that they decided it was safe to approach.

She marveled at how the children had clamored to know Cyborg and Beast Boy; they were always the most approachable of the group. Children saw the two as pals; the big brothers they never had or the ones they could call on when the neighborhood bully stole their lunch money.

Around her, the children were always painfully shy, blushing and smiling and calling her "ma'am" or "Miss Starfire" or whispering "I think you're pretty," then scampering away to safety. Occasionally, she would encounter a child who came to her with a poem or a song they learned in class. Sometime, they would introduce her to their pets. She didn't exactly understand how they perceived her, but Raven explained that she was being treated as the kindergarten teacher they all loved to love. Starfire liked that. It was endearing.

Raven _never_ wanted to have to talk to kids and she only liked them when they had the sense to leave her alone, so she always sank behind the titans, praying not to be noticed. She hardly needed to hide. Children were sensitive enough to her animosity.

It was Robin who had the children gaping in awe. They would cluster around him, keeping a respectful distance while they stared at him, wide-eyed and mesmerized by the stories they've heard of him. He would arch his eyebrow at them, single one out and then ask something like, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be doing your homework?" While some children would cower and run home to hit the books, most would actually say something along the lines of, "Sir, I've done my homework!" Apparently, the children looked up to him as _their_ leader and they made sure, lest they encountered him in the mall or a Buddhist temple (as the case may be) that they were prepared. It wasn't surprising that a lot of the fan mail he received went along the lines of "I got an A plus in my exam!" or "Today, I ran a hundred meters in twenty five seconds!" Robin was a hero; the human who led super-people, and if they ate their vegetables, did well in school and won the gold, they could grow up to be just like him.

"Heaven forbid," Robin had once said when those very thoughts of him were voiced.

Well, he was _her_ hero. She trusted him completely to lead her and lead her well, which was why she was troubled by how distracted he had been since their encounter with the comatose Slade.

When Beast Boy gave her the gist of what was going on in the underground hideout, she began to identify the scents that were invading her nostrils; sterilized equipment… medicines… they were the same scents she encountered when she was hospitalized, and there were the same sounds too. The beeping thingamajigs and such were familiar to her. Nevertheless, she wanted to reach out and find out for herself if indeed there was a man lying comatose on a bed. She wanted to touch the man's face; find out just who Slade, the man, was, but she had resisted. It seemed perverse. She had tried to visualize as much as she could and Beast Boy's narratives helped a lot, but without the face of Slade—the solidity of him imprinted in her memory—she could not help but feel a bit detached from the events. She feared it had not affected her as much as the others; she feared that she would fail to understand why it had Robin so unbalanced.

When they got back to the tower, Robin took her aside and scolded her relentlessly. He had been shaken by the episode with the gun. Even with Rose's confession that she could not have shot Starfire, Robin was livid with anger; furious that she had been so reckless. Starfire swore that if he had gone on any more vehemently with his tirade, she would have crumpled to her knees and cried, but then his anger was gone; spent. She suddenly found herself in his embrace. He told her, with utmost tenderness that he had been so afraid; telling her repeatedly that if something had happened to her, he wouldn't know _what_ he was going to do for the rest of his life. And then he was kissing her like anything. It was as if her physical touch was what he needed to reassure himself.

Obviously, they hadn't made love. They were, after all, in the training room. It seemed highly inappropriate, especially with the rest of the titans probably pressing their ears to the door to listen to everything.

But after all the drama, he went back to work, immersing himself once again for the next two weeks. His intensity was not as bad as his Slade-obsession, but he rushed through meals and spent very little time in recreation. Starfire grew worried, and when she expressed her concerns, he explained to her that he had to find out who was behind it all if it hadn't been Slade. She wished she could help him, but that was another thing she was afraid of; it frightened her more than anything else; because she might find the answers, and she might find that she was right.

There was a sound from the elevator doors and she smiled, listening for the gait of the new arrival. No steps were made, but she heard a whisper of cloth sweeping lightly against the floor. She tried not to be so disappointed.

"Raven?"

"You sound surprised," came her flat, expressionless tone.

She heard Raven walking and then rummaging slightly through the shelves. Raven was looking for her tea.

"I—well, I am, somewhat."

"In case you forgot, I live here too."

Starfire laughed softly, embarrassed. "I did not mean… it is just that you are hardly ever here this early. Usually none of you get here before me and Robin."

"I could leave when Robin gets here."

Starfire was confused by this, and then worried. "You do not like Robin?"

"What? No. I like the guy fine, but I know you and he like your time alone."

Starfire tried to determine whether Raven was just making excuses to lock herself back into her room or whether Raven knew what Starfire and Robin did when they _were_ alone. Double meanings aside, she didn't want to drive Raven away just because she liked being "alone" with Robin. She was just about to tell Raven that they always liked her company when Raven spoke.

"It's alright. You and Robin are together now. I completely understand how precious privacy is, especially in this joint."

Starfire felt a flush rise in her face, but she saw no point in denying it. It was just as Robin said. The rest of the titans were bound to figure it out without them having to say anything and everyone probably already knew, especially after having listened in on them when Robin was scolding her in the training room, just that Raven was the first to speak of it as fact, as least to her. "Oh, privacy is not a problem, Raven. We… find our moments. We never feel that any of you are in the way."

"Really? Sometimes I feel that the tension between you two gets so taut that you just couldn't wait to get away."

It was impossible not to feel a renewed flush in her cheeks. Perhaps she and Robin hadn't been as subtle as she thought. "I—we are sorry if it makes any of you feel uncomfortable."

Raven made a neutral sound. "It's alright. You try not to; A for effort."

She frowned. She knew what "A for effort" meant. "Are we so bad?"

"Probably just to me. Empath, you know." There was a crinkling sound, like cellophane. Raven must have found the untouched half of the ham sandwich in the refrigerator.

"Oh." Of course. She should have known. Nonetheless, she was glad that Raven was open to talking about it. She had been _dying_ to tell someone about how wonderful and exciting it was to be with Robin. She knew girls on Earth liked talking about their boyfriends, or girlfriends, with their confidantes. It was the same with Tamaranians, and she had hoped Raven's human-half would be compelled to ask her about her new relationship with the Boy Wonder, but Raven had kept her nose solidly out of it in the last two weeks, and Starfire dared not bring it up herself lest she turned Raven off completely. "It is just difficult. When you are so into someone you just want to be as close as you could be."

Raven was silent except for the sound of a spoon gently hitting the interior of her tea cup. "I… couldn't really imagine Robin being all that—you know—kissy and huggy."

Starfire giggled. "Raven, nephews and nieces are kissy and huggy. Boyfriends like Robin…" She sighed dreamily, smiling to herself at the memories of the last few weeks. "When he kisses me, it is like the _mortflegs_of _kanahar_ had risen from the under _lorblaks_of _telnur__ ikmu gyre."_

"Well—" Raven paused, probably to bite on her sandwich. "I'm sure they don't call him the Boy Wonder for nothing."

Stafire giggled. "That is one way of looking at it."

"So Mr. Neurotic could be Mr. Erotic. Heh, you learn something new everyday, I suppose."

Starfire understood why the others saw him so differently and perhaps Robin liked being seen as some immovable, unemotional pillar, but she hoped, at least, that Raven would understand that he made a wonderful boyfriend. "Oh, but he's so _sweet_, Raven. When we were in Gotham, he would bring me donuts in the labs and he would see me off in the morning and he would make sure I had my helmet on properly when he took me on his motored cycle. He makes me feel _so_ _special!_"

"It's amazing I was able to keep my sandwich down when you said that. On a similar note, _please_ don't tell me you feed each other and run down the beach hand in hand…"

Starfire knew about such things from having watched quite a few 80s music videos. She grinned. "No, we have not done that. That is not Robin's style. But we have _made out_ on the motored cycle."

"Well, _that's_ sexy. That's okay, so long as you don't have cheesy make-out music in the background."

Starfire lowered her voice to a whisper, as if the place was bugged. "It _was_ very sexy, Raven. It was as if I could not stop."

"It's funny how you say that like _bizarrely_ you couldn't stop."

"Well, is it not bizarre to be so locked in a kiss that _nothing_ else seems to matter?"

"Only if you're kissing your cousin."

Starfire made a face, her visions of passion crashing at Raven's words. "Um… ew?"

Starfire felt Raven patting her shoulder consolingly. The empath poured Starfire some coffee and handed her the cup before announcing that she was going to start meditating with the morning paper in the dining area. When Raven said she was going to meditate with the newspaper, it meant she would be reading it from end to end.

A few minutes later, the elevator rang again and this time, it _was_ Robin. Starfire smiled so broadly that she was in danger of breaking her face. "Good morning, Robin."

"Morning."

She felt him come near and she breathed of his scent. The sweet melon and cucumber smell of his hair and the fresh, clean fragrance of soap on his skin was almost intoxicating. She felt the heat of his body and then felt it press lightly against her, his gloved hand slipping underneath her hair to cup her face. Her heart skipped a beat in anticipation of the kiss, but his kiss did not come and he seemed frozen in place.

_He has seen Raven._ She stifled a sigh. She felt Robin's thumb rub lightly against her cheek. She had learned, in the last two weeks that he made his wordless apologies through caresses of the kind. Then his touch was gone and while he didn't go very far from her, the distance was marked.

"Well, _you're_ up early," he said. She could tell by the direction of the sound that he was addressing Raven.

There was a shuffle of newspapers. "I'm always up early, I just usually don't leave my room, that's all."

"So you're feeling sociable today?"

"Not really. I just wanted to get to the ham sandwich first."

"What a coincidence, so did I."

"Well, it's gone now. I ate it all. It was good."

"Fantastic. My work here is done."

"So that means we won't be seeing anymore of you?"

Robin snorted. "Like it'll be that easy to get rid of me."

"Figures."

Starfire giggled. It was always a pleasure to hear Robin and Raven's banter. They hardly ever got on each other's nerves. There was another shuffle of papers and she knew that Raven had gone back to reading her paper.

"What are your plans for today, Boy Wonder?" she asked softly, hoping he would lean just a bit closer. Perhaps she could steal a kiss.

He did lean, but still not close enough. A sigh escaped his lips. "I don't know. This stupid case has me—I've ran out. I don't know where else to look. Johan said Victoria still hasn't gone back to his place and I'm thinking that _if_ Victoria shows up there, I'm going to fly on over back to Bludhaven and take the mo' fo' by the neck—"

"Now _Robin…"_ she said gently. "You really must step back and give yourself time to _not_ think. Remember what happened with Garrison Slate? He was on Bruce's fast dial all along."

_"Speed_ dial."

"Yes, _whatever."_

He sighed again. "I know what you're trying to saying: I've done all I could."

_"Yes._ And I feel the answers will be forthcoming."

A chuckle escaped him. "You gone precognitive too?"

"Oh, you never know."

She felt his hand on her leg, caressing gently. It caused her goose-bumps to rise. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Richard, I have missed you at recreation."

"I've been busy."

She could hear the grin in his tone, but she pouted. "Richard Grayson, are you avoiding me?"

"Like I could stand to do that." He laughed softly. "I trained with you this whole week, didn't I?"

"But that is work."

She felt him lean even nearer so that Raven wouldn't hear what he had to say. "Not for me. I get to cop a feel when I help you stretch."

She smiled bashfully at that, but she took advantage of his closeness and kissed him. The kiss only lasted a few seconds. Robin had said he didn't want the other Titans seeing them so intimate and she respected his wishes, but on occasion, like when she knew on instinct that no one was looking, she risked it and she made sure the stolen kisses counted. However quick the kiss was, she had made it steamy nonetheless and she would give just about anything to see the look on his face.

"I could hear you," said Raven, probably from behind her newspaper.

Starfire giggled and she heard Robin's soft sigh of exasperation.

"Let me guess," said Robin, still in his confidential tone. "She finally brought _us_ up. That's what you were talking about before I arrived."

Starfire nodded.

"Somebody had to, after Beast Boy. I didn't think it would be Raven, though. She's not usually nosy like the others."

Raven snapped her newspaper. "For your information, I wasn't being nosy. It just came up in conversation."

"Of course… it's _not nosy_ to listen in on other people's conversations."

Raven scoffed. "I _so_ don't have to explain myself to you." From the shuffling of paper that followed, Starfire could tell that Raven had gone back to her reading.

It was just as well, for Robin, but still refusing to be open about their relationship, he spoke to Starfire in her ear, his hand rubbing on her arm. "I've still got a few things to check up on, so I only have time for some coffee now, but maybe if there aren't any bad guys tonight, we could go out, just us two."

Starfire loved the idea of a date. She smiled, managing to steal another kiss. It made Robin sigh again, but he coupled it with a chuckle.

She let Robin have his coffee, and before he left, he grabbed something from the refrigerator; probably an orange or an apple. As the elevator doors opened to let him in, he exchanged greetings with Cyborg and Beast Boy before his presence completely disappeared.

Starfire gave her greetings to the new arrivals, offering them coffee and good cheer. Cyborg, after looking in the refrigerator, demanded to know what happened to the leftover ham sandwich.

"I ate it," said Raven.

"You what!"

"I ate it. Why? Was I not supposed to?"

"It was mine!"

"Didn't have your name on it."

Beast Boy made a face. "Ugh, I can't believe you're fighting over processed dead animal."

Cyborg sighed forlornly. "That processed dead animal tastes delicious with cheese, lettuce and mayo."

Starfire felt bad for him. She knew how he loved his food. "Cyborg, there is still processed dead animal in the freezer. Just thaw some of it in the microwave and you could cook a whole pile of it."

"Thanks Star. I might do that, but there's nothing quite like a left over sandwich, you know?"

She didn't, but she pretended she did. When the boys were busy doing their early morning rituals, she went to Raven's side, sliding beside her in the booth. She waited for Raven to acknowledge her. It didn't take very long.

"Starfire, what are you doing?"

"I need to speak with you," she whispered. "I need your help."

Raven remained unresponsive, but Starfire could almost hear the gears turning in Raven's head. Finally, the empath spoke. "What kind of help?"

"I need you to isolate a stream for me on a recording. Very short. Four; five seconds."

She heard Raven give a soft sigh of relief. "Oh. Whew. I thought you wanted me to go gift shopping with you for Robin or something like that."

Starfire's brows knotted. "Gift? His birthday is not for a few more months, and this Yule season you celebrate is still quite a way off—"

"Forget about gifts. You want me to isolate a stream for you? Sure, I'll help. Just give me the tape and I'll have the stream all cropped and aligned for you."

"No, I will align the sound patterns myself."

Raven paused for only a second. "You sure? Aligning it will only take about three; five minutes."

"I shall do it myself. All I need is the isolation of the stream."

"Well… okay…"

"Thank you, Raven! I truly appreciate your agreeing to help me. You are an angel!"

"Yes, cherubs flock at my feet."

Starfire fished into the pocket of her skirt and handed the disc to Raven.

"You don't waste any time, do you?"

"The boys will be playing on the Game Station soon…"

"Fair enough. Come on."

Raven led Starfire to the computer panel and sat them down. Starfire felt for the headphones in her cubicle and held one earphone to her ear. She waited for Raven to play the audio.

It played and Slade's voice came through. _"Penny here…"_

"This is Sl—"

Starfire had expected the reaction and cut Raven off. She didn't want Cyborg or Beast Boy to know what they were listening to. "Yes, it is, and I have listened to it over a dozen times just to make sure the anomaly I heard exists. Please check if it is visible on the grid."

Raven took a moment of silence before she spoke again. "It might be a very small anomaly. I didn't see _or_ hear it. You have to tell me when it occurs. I'll play it again."

"What are you gals doin'?" asked Cyborg.

Starfire hastened to beat Raven to an explanation. "Oh, just some random listening skills I am trying to develop. I am practicing to spot anomalies by sound. Raven will tell me if I am hearing correctly. Is that not right, Raven?"

Raven hesitated a moment before replying. "What she said."

"That's pretty cool," said Cyborg. "Need an extra hand? I could help make it a better program for you."

Starfire flashed her best smile. "Oh, thank you, Cyborg! But really, I am fine for the meantime. I know you are very busy putting those improvements on the T-Car. By the way, it purrs so _soothingly!_ You have done wonders, repairing it."

"You think so? I've been working on it overtime. Thanks for noticing. You know, now that you mentioned it, I think I'll work a bit on the car while my bacon is thawing. I'll see you girls later."

"Yo, Cy! Where you going?" asked Beast Boy.

"I just thought of something for the T-Car."

"Well then wait for me! The girls are using the computer…"

Their voices faded as the elevator doors closed.

As soon as they were gone, Raven spoke. "Starfire, why are you lying about this?"

"Oh, I just do not wish to worry them over nothing," she said cheerfully, hoping Raven would drop it.

"Well, now _I'm_ worried. What's going on?"

Starfire smiled more brightly than ever. "Nothing's going on, Raven. It is just something I thought about doing, but I cannot do it by myself since my condition prevents me."

"And now that I think about it, why haven't you asked Robin to do this for you?"

"Oh, he's been _very_ busy."

"Right. He's so busy he'd mind it terribly if his girlfriend asked a little favor from him."

Starfire tried to keep smiling and she opened her mouth for another fib, but Raven cut her off.

"If you don't start telling me the truth, I _won't_ help you."

The smile disappeared from Starfire's face and then she sighed. "I-I am not ready to tell you, Raven. I am not ready to tell anyone, but it is important that I do this. Obviously, if I could do this on my own, I would have, but… I could not, and I _must_ do it as soon as possible. Please… just help me, Raven. And I beg you not to tell anyone about this. If it is—if it is what I think it is, I swear I will inform Robin."

"Just Robin?"

"I am sorry I could make no promises about telling the rest of you."

Raven said nothing for several seconds then, "Fine."

Starfire felt waves of relief wash over her. She thanked Raven profusely and together, they worked on isolating the stream. Starfire tried to point out the occurrence of the anomaly as accurately as she could, by sound. Raven had a lot of difficulty trying to distinguish it by sight from the patters showing up on screen; it was practically invisible, but Starfire was persistent, and somehow, Raven recognized the anomaly and identified its stream. She cropped it and it took longer than she thought; the distinguishing waves were so minute. They got it isolated just in time for Cyborg and Beast Boy's return.

The boys began fighting about whether or not the bacon should be cooked. Beast Boy never won such fights, of course.

Raven then reluctantly left Starfire to align the stream. "Starfire," she said in a confidential tone. "You know you could tell me anything, right?"

Starfire nodded, feeling somewhat guilty. "Yes, Raven, but this is something I must come to grips with myself, first. Please trust me."

"I do."

Starfire felt a pat on her shoulder and she was left by herself. She fitted the earphone on her head this time so that her hands would be free to manipulate the knobs. Even with the other Titans sitting around her, she would be the only one who would hear. Playing the stream back over and over again, she made the necessary adjustments. Half-way through, she felt a knot tightening inside her.

Starfire made the final adjustments as she listened to the voice one last time.

_"Penny here.__ Don't forget __Mealtiden__Park__ Central. __Eight thirty_

She snatched off her headphones and hastened to recover the disk. Hoping no one would notice, she headed straight to the elevators. She was so unfocused that she bumped against Cyborg.

"Whoa! Easy, girl!"

"S-Sorry!" she whispered, rushing past him. She thanked X'Hal she made it and when the elevator doors closed, she let the misery take over.

888888888888888888

Starfire nestled against Robin's embrace, the breeze grown colder to mark the season, though winter in California was never quite as cold as the fall in the East Coast.

Robin said they were in a pier of sorts, which explained the salty smell to the air. Seated on a bench, she couldn't hear a lot of activity. Perhaps in the distance, yes, but there was hardly anyone near by. He told her with a chuckle that where he'd situated them, they had total privacy.

Robin played lazily with her hair and she savored the soothing quality of it. Perhaps there was a way to it, after all. It certainly felt nice when Robin did it.

She wished they could be this happy all the time; she wished they could both forget all their troubles and…

_Run away. _She grinned at the thought. It would be quite romantic if she and Robin did that.

"Hey," he said softly. "What are you grinning at?"

"Let us run away."

"Sure," he replied without hesitation. "Let's go."

She laughed, knowing how foolish the notion was. Neither of them had moved, anyway. There would be no running away tonight…

Stafire felt her smile fading, her lips grown heavy from effort. Robin picked up on it quickly.

"You alright?"

She wasn't. Being with him; riding around the city; eating corndogs and having ice-cream and saltwater taffy; she had hoped that she wouldn't have to deal with certain realities pertaining to her life because she was always happy when he was near, but the bliss had been momentary and she realized, sitting silently with him on this bench by the sea, that there was no getting away from what she had to do.

Robin tightened his hold on her affectionately. "Indigestion?"

Starfire smiled sadly. "If only it were that simple."

She felt his hands caressing her face. He pinched her chin lightly, the soft kiss of his lips reassuring. "What's wrong?"

"It is…" Already she felt tears pooling in her eyes and she tried her best to fight it back.

"Hey," he said in a soft, soothing tone. She felt a handkerchief being pressed to her cheek and she took it gratefully, dabbing at her eyes.

She knew Robin couldn't stand to see anyone in tears, especially her, so she tried again, dislodging herself from his embrace to find her own strength of will. "I—my family, Richard… we were born of love. My mother and father married because they loved one another. They were lucky, because… because they were an _appropriate_ match. But—" she struggled to continue and Robin wasn't saying anything. She knew he was listening. He had a hand on her knee while the other rubbed her arm comfortingly. "When we—the children—were born, things changed. But I did not know it at the time. I was too young to comprehend… _politics…"_

"Politics?" His voice was suddenly filled with confusion.

Pain welled inside her, but she tried to get through it. She had to make Robin understand. "My father and mother… they—they were the rulers of Tamaran."

The movement of his hand paused and she could tell, just by the sudden pressing quality to the silence, that he was shocked; perhaps a bit confused.

She went on. She spoke unhurriedly and with purpose. "Blackfire was the eldest, as you know. And I was born very soon after she was. Ryand'r was the last. When he was born, Blackfire and I were old enough to be sent to the Warlords of Okaara. As princesses, we had to learn how to become leaders and warriors. Most of the cultures in the Vegan system sent their princes and princesses to Okaara. The training there is very harsh, but there could be no better school in all twenty two worlds. And then there came the tests… the Trials of Okaara. Up until those trials, Blackfire bested me in _everything. _She was faster; smarter; wiser; but on those seven grueling days of the trial—somehow, she failed. She _failed_ it, Richard. It was a test of rulers. It was to determine whether a crown prince or princess was fit to rule a kingdom. Blackfire, as the eldest, had the right to take that test again, but only _after_ her siblings took the test and failed it. Ryand'r wasn't even fit to begin training yet, and she practically demanded to have Ryand'r enrolled. Technically, this was allowed. If only to allow the eldest to take the test again, all the siblings down the line may be enrolled and made to take the test themselves. If the children were too young to endure the test, then it was just all the more better. The tests stop at the first sign of failure and the children would be none the worse from the formalities. But then I had to take the test as well… I should have failed it, Richard. I should have—I should have let the tests overcome me." Regret filled her. So many things she should have done, or so many things she shouldn't have. So many decisions down the line that could have changed her future and Blackfire's forever. "I tried to fail. I honestly did, but then I could not fool the test. It knew that I knew, and it just kept pushing me until I could bear it no longer…"

Robin caught her gently by the shoulders. "Did you pass the tests, Kori?"

She nodded. "Yes, and from that moment on _I_ was the new crown princess of Tamaran."

She heard his breath catch. She tried to steel herself. _That _was the easy part of her tale. "Blackfire _would not_ talk to me for months. She hated me, and I was so sorry. I did not want to rule Tamaran. Since I was born, I was content by the fact that my elder sister would be doing all that. I cannot rule. I cannot handle that kind of responsibility. But the tests said I had to, and Blackfire was no longer the priority. I thought she would never speak to me again, but she did and while I knew, deep down inside, that she believed she was still the rightful ruler of Tamaran, I was just relieved that my sister was acknowledging me again. Whatever bitterness she harbored, I closed my eyes to it. And when the Citadel, that awful alien race, came and threatened our planet, I—well, things went from bad to worse. Let us just say that it probably sealed her hate for me to the very core of her bones. You remember when she came here? When she tried to frame me for stealing the Centari Diamond?"

"Yes."

"I knew inside me why she did that; why she hated me enough to do that. Certainly I did not want to admit it. Years had lapsed and… we had both suffered equally, perhaps I more than she. I paid for my sins, but I suppose she shouldn't have been made to suffer at all since she had been so aggrieved in the first place."

"Suffered, Kori? How did you suffer?"

Starfire shook her head. She was not going into that now. It was not important. "That voice we thought was Slade… it was _not him._ It was Blackfire. _She_ had masked her voice and then she masked that mask just in case we got wind of what was happening. She could have gotten away with it, but she hadn't counted on my being blind. She hadn't counted on me, honing my sense of hearing. If not for my condition, Robin, I would not have heard the anomaly, and I would not have searched as far to confirm my suspicions."

Robin was silent for a time before he spoke again. "How sure are you—"

"I am. There were other clues, but they could have been somewhat random without the voice on the tape to prove it. There is this strategy used by many generals of Tamaran. It has a name, but its English translation is known as _Smoke and Mirrors; _the way magicians hide and do things in plain sight, making you think that you saw something disappear right before your eyes. It is more potent than keeping things secret. You could know secrets are being kept and try to find them out, but when you believe that you're looking at the truth, you stop searching for answers. Those scientists that were killed; I do not think they are dead. Somewhere in space, they are with Maxwell Victoria. Whether they are being forced to work for Blackfire or whether they are doing it voluntarily, we could not be sure, but depend upon it; they are alive, probably being forced to pursue _Project Auron."_

"Project Auron? What do you know about Project Auron?"

"Not much, Robin. I was very young when the Citadel first attacked our planet, and most of the time, I was with the Warlords, training, but I did hear my parents speaking of it behind closed doors. They would mention it often, my mother fretting about how dangerous it was; my father saying they had no choice. During the wars, there would be a delivery of precious gems from all over the galaxy. Whether my father stole it or whether he asked for it, I might never know. At the time, it wasn't called a "project". It was called _The Wrath of Auron."_

_"Who is Auron?"_

"Auron is the son of X'Hal, Richard, and he was told to have brought war upon the Vegan worlds once upon a time. What X'Hal loved, he hated. What X'Hal sought to preserve, he wanted destroyed. It was from him the legend of the Metalloids was born; the animals with steel bones. You remember me telling you about them, don't you, Richard?"

"Yes."

"Well, maybe that is what the_ Wrath of Auron_ was intended to resurrect. It certainly sounded similar to what the three scientists were working on. I think maybe the ploy to make us think it was Slade came to Blackfire when she realized that Jefferson Welles worked where Plasmus was being held captive. That is my guess. She used Cinderblock first—I don't know how she controlled him, but she did it, and while everyone was busy trying to get away from Cinderblock, someone spirited Greenwald away, albeit one finger less. She did the same with Plasmus. And then she left little clues in Bludhaven that would point to Slade. Perhaps she knew your… _our _obsession with him. Then we found the tape and it was all making sense that Slade would do it. I think she didn't count on the fact that Slade was in a coma. She, like everyone else, didn't know where Slade was. Perhaps her _smoke and mirrors_ plan would have worked longer if we hadn't found Slade. I myself didn't want to think she would do all this—not until the possibility of Slade was laid to rest. But I had to find out, you see. I wished so many nights that I was wrong, but I was not. It _was_ Blackfire, and then I remembered what Rose told me."

She felt his arms slipping around her, taking her in a firmer embrace.

"Yeah," he replied. "She told you that your instincts had merit. She was talking about your suspicions for Blackfire, wasn't she?"

"I did not want to believe it. After all, futures change. I learned that from going twenty years ahead with Warp. But this was _not_ changing. After I confirmed that the voice was Blackfire's, I contacted the Centari police. I asked them about my sister. They refused to tell me anything. They said it wasn't my affair. It probably means she's not there anymore. And then I… I contacted Tamaran. I alerted them of the danger Blackfire posed in case she really is planning to attack them. Whatever the _Wrath of Auron_ was, she _might _be replicating the plans for it. I—I tried to scramble my signal. I do not want them to know I am here, but I will not be surprised if they pinpoint my location. I'm using a very primitive transmitter, so my message will take a few weeks to get there, but its primitive technology will make the origins of my signal near impossible to locate. It could take them months to find out where I am using the sound waves of my message. But I am sure Galfore will do everything he can to discover its source."

"Galfore?"

Starfire felt a heat rise in her cheeks, smiling for the first time since she began talking about Blackfire. "He is my _k'norfka_ in Earth terms that could be translated as bodyguard or… _nanny. _He is very dear to me. Dearer to me than my father."

"Oh. Well, of course a _princess_ has to have a nanny…"

He sounded nonplussed, and she couldn't help but give a soft giggle before she sighed and sank back to her misery. "It just hurts so much, Richard, to be so hated by one's sister. My parents—I was hardly ever familiar with them, but Blackfire… _she_ was my family. Well, she, Ryand'r and Galfore. When there are only three people you believe love you in a family tree that spans the entire West Wing of a palace… well, you tend to be possessive of those people. Losing one in three, the other one not even related to me by blood—it felt like a tragedy."

Robin sighed and Starfire recognized the accompanying hint of exasperation. "Kori, why didn't you tell me you were suspecting your sister?"

She sighed as well, but hers was tinged with embarrassment. She had thought about that; how she could have saved everyone the trouble, and she came up with one compelling and all-encompassing truth. "I would have said something; I really would have, but I refused to believe it until today. Slade was such a probability that many times, _I _convinced myself it was him. I suspect that I took comfort in it, twisted as it was for me to do such a thing. And besides… what kind of a person would I be if I bore such terrible thoughts about my sister?"

"Blackfire doesn't deserve your good will, Kori." He said it gently, but it was slightly chiding, too.

"It is what everyone says, but everyone else has rejected her. My parents… my people… right now, I have you and the others to turn to. She has no one, and it is all my fault."

"It wasn't your fault. You said so yourself, the tests knew you were trying to fail. There was nothing you could have done."

"There _was_ something. I could have let the test kill me. It has happened with other candidates so many—"

She felt Robin gripping her shoulders and it grew tight, almost painful. She gasped, but he spoke before she could say anything. "That wasn't an option, Kori. _Death_ comes for us, we don't go looking for it. How can you even—"

Starfire recognized the tone. It was the tone he had used when he was yelling at her about Rose and her gun. He wasn't yelling now, but the quality of intensity was there. She could feel it from his fingers that were digging into her skin and she could think of nothing to say.

His grip loosened and he ran his hands soothingly over her arms. "You scare me sometimes, when you talk like that. You love life and after all you've gone through, I recognize how strong you are, but you—you put everyone else ahead of you. When you get that way, you seem to forget how important you are to other people. Suddenly, you think you're dispensable; as if _statistically,_ everyone would be better off, and that frightens me, because it means it's all calculated in your head…"

For all the drama and confessions, Starfire realized how shocking Robin's words were to her. She was _not_ suicidal. She believed it was not her nature, or was it? "I am sorry…" she whispered lamely.

"D-Don't be sorry. Just… just don't think that way. This entire thing with Blackfire; it hasn't—it hasn't completely sunk in yet, I have to admit. I have a million questions, but I'm not going to ask them now. You've had enough for one night."

She was about to protest when she realized that he was right. She felt terribly tired, but she had promised herself that she would tell him all she could that night, and wearied as she was, there was one tiny, probably insignificant detail she had to share. She looked up, smiling wanly at him. "Do you know when it was I _really_ began to suspect, Richard? Do you know when it hit me that just maybe it was Blackfire behind it all?"

He was silent. She could tell he was trying to come up with an intelligent guess. "Project Auron?"

Starfire laughed softly. "No. It gave me pause, yes, but my thoughts were not on Blackfire, then. Try again."

"It's the only time I could figure."

She couldn't blame him. "It was when I heard the name Penny."

"Penny?"

"Yes, Penny. It is of German origin, did you know that?"

"No… what's that got to do with it?"

"Penny is feminine for Penn."

"I remember you saying something like that…"

"I did. It just struck me as odd, really. Do you know what Penn means?"

"No."

"It means _Commander."_

He remained quiet and he leaned back on the bench, draping his arm over her shoulders to keep her in a reassuring embrace. It would have to do for the meantime. They needed at least a few minutes to think about it on their own.

She looked back on the past few months, turning it in her head. She had lost her sight on that fateful day Cinderblock struck it from her, and she had dour visions about how different her life would be from then on. Well, it _had_ been different, but it had, in no way, been as sightless as she thought. She had found Robin, in more ways that she could have hoped for. Because of what happened to her, Robin opened doors for her to who he was. He brought her to Gotham; he admitted her into his life and even if by some cruel twist of fate, he had _not_ felt the same way about her as she did him, she would have been content with the fact that she now knew him in his entirety. Robin, the Boy Wonder; Richard John Grayson.

And now her loss of vision had made her see the truth about her sister. She had to become blind to see what Blackfire had become.

Starfire remembered Raven's readings. She was so reluctant to tell Robin about them and she had turned the reasons over and over again in her head. It came down to sparing Robin of worry, and wondering why she thought that way. She had to ask herself why she thought the future was foreshadowed by pain. The only pain she'd had was embedded in her past, and that was something else she found in this path of self-discovery. While visions of what once was home was not necessarily a savory memory, she had refused to think about it for a long time. Her past had brought her nothing but pain, and every time she dwelt on it, something bad happened. Perhaps that was what Raven and Rose meant…

_"That is only the beginning," _Raven had said. _"The Fool was crossed by the Emperor of five swords, though beneath it was the World… the Hanged Man presented itself in one of your paths."_

It wasn't a reading that Starfire could claim to understand completely, but Raven was a master with words and in this case, there was nothing random about anything she said. The Emperor crossing the Fool meant that her relationship with Robin was only the beginning, inter-woven with what the future had in store for her. There would be responsibilities ahead of her which would serve as obstacles to their love; things that would require the mind more than the heart. Such things always demanded so much, which was perhaps the root of Starfire's misgivings, but that was the trick with Tarot. They showed clues, not pictures. The appearance of the five of swords meant the event would bring change and uncertainty, though the appearance of the World meant she would find success in this journey. Because of the five swords, several paths would likely rise from the single road. She would have to make a choice, it seemed, and the appearance of the Hanged Man told her that one of those choices would require self-sacrifice.

In view of what Robin had told her about herself, about the way she put everyone else ahead of her, the whisper of self-sacrifice was not particularly settling.

_I am not suicidal,_ she told herself stubbornly. Still, the unease was palpable. She pushed those thoughts back for her other insecurities that needed settling.

"Richard?"

"Hmm?"

"You are not disgusted by me?"

"Kori." Again, with that chiding tone. "Why would I be disgusted of you?"

"My relations… here on Earth, there is a thing they call _Sins of the Father…"_

His embrace tightened on her and she felt him nuzzling her at the temple. "I love you for you, Kori. Nothing's going to change that. Not your parents _or_ your sister."

Starfire absorbed his words. She was happy that he did not take her sister's actions against her. She was glad that her parent's lack of emotional connection with their children did not make him think less of her. She had been slightly afraid that he would think it so odd, especially since his parents loved him so much and he had been surrounded by people who cared for him all his life, but she was particularly moved by the words he spoke first. "I love you," he had said. It was something she knew he felt for her; something _he_ probably knew she felt for him, but they never really said it. It hadn't been spoken until now and she hadn't realized the intensity of feeling it invoked.

Unable to contain herself, she reached up and caught his lips with hers, holding him close to make the kiss linger. She put quite a bit into it. It was some sort of a reward and by the time she was through, she had him under her spell. She could hear his soft panting and supposed he was somewhat out of sorts.

She levitated gently, sitting on his lap. She pressed her lips gently to his ear, whispering. "I do love you, too, Richard." She settled against him, leaning her head against the crook of his shoulder.

His arms soon slid around her waist, leaning his chin gently against her crown.

They stayed that way for quite a while and as cold as the salty breeze of Samhain's late winds blew, they would give each other warmth. They were going to have each other to ward against the cold for a long time.

To be continued…

* * *

Closing Notes: Not quite done. That was quite a bit of sap, wasn't it?

The description I came up with concerning Robin's essence encased within his physicality was inspired by a comment made by Devin Grayson, creator of _Batman: Gotham Knights _and writer of the _Nightwing_ series, about Dick Grayson (no, they're not related) in an interview she had with Underground Online's Derek Handley. She described Dick as being "… so completely on the physical plane, so gorgeously corporeal," and "…he hardly knows the difference between a kick and a kiss—as long as there's a chance for movement and contact and body heat, he's happy, he's on…" She also went into a whole bunch of other aspects about Robin/Nightwing and the whole time I was like, "Whoa! Wow! That's exactly how I feel about him! This is awesome!" So the only difference I have with Devin Grayson is that her opinion matters and that mine absolutely doesn't; she has a life, I don't; she has the job of my dreams and I have a job that contributes nothing to my growth except for the money, which isn't that much either.


	21. Epi: Guiding Starfire, Guiding Star

Standard disclaimers apply

**CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.**

**GUIDING STAR**

**Epilogue – Guiding Starfire, Guiding Star**

The sheets were soft against her skin, protecting her from the slight nip of the air conditioner. The warmth the blanket lent her felt luxurious, especially waking from the sweetest of dreams.

She stirred and the comforter slipped slowly from off her. She sighed softly in complaint, but before she could pull the cover back on, she felt the wonderful caress of lips and tongue on her shoulders. They were unhurried; cherishing and they sent unholy tingles racing down her back.

Starfire smiled in lazy contentment, nestling against the pillows and against _him. _The scent of him filled her senses and she loved it. She loved recognizing his fragrance from the linens of his bed; she loved waking up and realizing that her scent had mixed with his. It was erotic, and best of all, it made perfect sense.

In the last three months of the four since they admitted their feelings to one another, the bliss of waking from a night of passion with Robin still felt as euphoric as the first night they spent in each other's arms. However nervous they both were on their first joining, it had been an exquisite exploration of one another, made sweet by innocence but fervent by searing emotion. Starfire believed it had been wonderful, however inexperienced they both were, and she had no doubt in her mind that it meant as much to Robin as it did to her. Each time they touched after that, they brought something from their previous experience; they learned to please each other better; more intensely, and while Starfire always believed that her Robin had the capacity to become a breathtaking lover, she never knew what breathtaking was until he was pressed against her, showing her just what a wonder of a boy he was.

_No, there is nothing _boy_ about this one,_ she thought impishly.

A giggle escaped her when his teeth grazed her ear and she turned to face Robin, the blankets twisting around her.

She had expected to touch skin when she slid her hands up his shoulders, but she realized he was quite dressed up, though not in uniform. Her fingers felt the leathery smoothness of a coat and the thick cashmere sweater beneath it. It confused her. Where was he going dressed up so warmly?

She frowned and he chuckled softly, planting soft kisses on her throat.

"What? Don't like the jacket?" he asked in a teasing tone.

Starfire pouted, gently pushing him away. "You are all dressed up! Where are you—"

"Much as being naked with you is the most mind blowing experience of my life, a guy has to put on clothes once in a while, you know."

"Hmph, I have no use for you, then." She feigned petulance and began turning away from him.

Of course, Robin was not about to be outdone.

He caught her and in the process tangling her in the sheets even more. She felt him plop back on the bed and he had her sitting across his lap in seconds. With the way the sheets were wrapped around her, she couldn't exactly get away. He probably planned it like so.

"Don't turn your back on me," he teased. He toyed with her hair and then she felt the tip of something, like the edge of a thick sheet of paper, scraping lightly against her collarbone. He nipped gently along her jaw with his lips.

Starfire wondered if this was another one of Robin's sexy games. She tilted her head to the side, wondering. She wouldn't be adverse to it, of course. She always liked it when he played this way. "Richard, for someone fully dressed, you are quite frisky…"

"Well, that's true, but it's not about _that_ this morning." He took her hand and placed something papery in it.

She arched an eyebrow. "What is—"

"Read it."

"Richard, my love, I do hate to break it to you, but I could not see. I hope this shocking truth does not change the way you feel about me."

He sighed in exaggerated exasperation. "You underlings are all the same. You always need your leader to tell you what to do. Go read it before you go all smart-assy on me."

Starfire stuck her tongue out to him but did as she was told. She was surprised when she felt little bumps on the surface. More importantly, they were dots, and they formed words and letters.

_Braille._

Placing the note on her lap, she skimmed her fingers over it. It read:

_To Miss Koriand'r; From Bruce Wayne_

Feeling around the corners of the paper, she could tell it was an envelope. She opened it and pulled the card out. This one had Braille on it as well.

_  
Dear Kori,_

_It's been a while and I hope all is well with you. You have been sorely missed in the Wayne Manor and while you're probably thinking that's not much considering there are only two people living in it, it's more than I have to say for your boyfriend. The reason I wrote is because the construction of my new art gallery is closely coming to an end. It will be opening in approximately three weeks and it will feature many popular but respected modern artists from __Gotham__ and __New York__. I would very much like you to be there, if only for the cocktails and good company. I will, however, recommend that you get your eyes repaired just so you don't miss the amazing art. I happen to know a guy, who knows a guy, who could give you exactly what you need, to see again. It's going to require a procedure, of course, and you're going to have to go under the knife, but theoretically it ought to fix your problem real quick. Rest assured, if it doesn't work out, heads will roll. The guy's words, not mine. _

_I've written to Robin separately about accompanying you and he should have told you already that the moment you receive this letter, you are to pack and head straight to the Wayne Airfield in __San Diego__. Frankly, you have no time to lose. _

_I shall be looking forward to seeing you again, Kori, and hopefully in the next few weeks, you will be seeing me, and everyone else, as well._

_Yours, in humble service,_

_Bruce Wayne_

When Starfire was done with the note, she wasn't quite sure if she had to say something.

Robin could only take the silence for so long. "Hey, say something. Anything."

"Do you—do you think it is possible, Richard?"

She felt his fingers running idly through her hair, tickling her spine as the pads of his fingers touched the skin of her back.

"Bruce won't act all cocky for nothing, you know. When he gets this way, it means he's certain of results." His tone was gentle and understanding. "I know it'll be hard to deal if it doesn't work out, but you know I'll be right there for you. Don't be afraid."

She nodded, allowing herself a small smile. There _was_ some fear. She had spent the last four months living her life without the benefit of vision, and she had, on several occasions, told herself that she could live the rest of her life that way. She had entertained no thought of ever seeing again, not because she was bitter, but because it was more productive to accept that difficult possibility. And now here was hope, and it was spreading all over her so quickly. She knew, deep down, that if it did not work out, she would be painfully disappointed.

She sighed, leaning against him for support. She burrowed against the crook of his neck and shoulder, closing her eyes to listen to the even pattern of his breathing.

He shifted, leaning against the headboard and cradling her. They were silent for several minutes until Robin spoke. "Are you ready to do this, Kori?"

She nodded, in spite of her fears. "Yes."

"I can't believe _we've_ gotten so used to your condition that a chance… a change, like this becomes daunting."

"It _is_ strange, is it not? We contend with other, more overwhelming circumstances yet we still find ourselves hesitant to undertake simple life matters."

The ever so slight tensing of his shoulders suggested he gave pause to think. "Speaking of life matters…"

"Hmm?"

"I caught a signal this morning, while I was making the routine scans for your sister."

It was her turn to tense. Having told Robin about Blackfire, she had decided that she would tell the rest of the titans. It was, after all, a matter that had many implications. The notion that Blackfire was planning to conquer Tamaran was largely presumption and they had a responsibility to make sure she wasn't planning on overrunning Earth, instead; that and the fact that she might have quite possibly kidnapped two scientists from Earth was reason enough for them to be vigilant.

After their initial shock of her revelations, they immediately attended to the matter professionally, coming up with programs to find Blackfire's whereabouts in as wide an area as they could cover in space. They placed an alert with the Justice League's Watchtower and the most state-of-the-art observatories all over the world. Cyborg gathered them all in a network he created and the Titans took shifts watching the signals.

In the last four months, they've picked up nothing; not even a plasma trail. It was as if Blackfire had been wiped off the face of the universe—at least within a radius of thirty light years. And now Robin was telling her he had picked up a signal, and he was relating it to "life matters". She was also surprised that Robin wasn't making a bigger deal of it. He should have sent the entire tower on alert by now.

Starfire arched an eyebrow. The situation was strange. "What kind of signal?"

"It was sent to all frequencies. I got messages of its arrival from everywhere. I didn't know what it was, at first. It was in a different language; a bunch of unfamiliar symbols, but I ran it through the database and I came up with _your _profile. It was in _your_ language, Kori."

Her brows knotted. "Was the computer able to translate it properly?"

"Barely, but it told me enough to classify the message as a _False Alarm_. I didn't tell them what the message said. I just told them to ignore it."

"What did it say?" Her voice was soft. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know what the message said, but she was compelled to ask.

_"'Seeking you. Sender: Galfore.'"_

_Ah,_ she thought painfully. _Life matters indeed._

Her stomach knotted at the thought that followed. "Did—did you answer it?"

He said nothing until a few seconds later. "No."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "I do not want them to find me."

"Kori, why not? Not even for Galfore? You told me you love him like a father."

"I do, but if I tell him, he would have to tell my parents. I cannot make him lie for me. That would be too cruel."

"What did they do to you to make you hate them so much?"

"Hate is… _harsh._ I—I do not want to be ungrateful, but what they did—I simply cannot forgive them, so rather than returning to them with anger, I removed myself from them. I owe them that much."

He sighed and they sank back into silence. For several minutes, they said nothing.

Starfire began to feel the tension melting away; it was so comfortable being in his strong embrace. He had to be the one to break the silence.

"Do you need help packing?"

She smiled, stifling a sigh of disappointment. At the same time, she was glad Robin had changed the subject. "No, Richard. I will be fine."

"Do you need help getting dressed? Please say yes."

"You spoiled boy…"

"I _was_ a billionaire's ward…"

Starfire laughed softly. "Well, _I'm _a _princess_, and I order you to go away or we will never get to the airfield on time."

He swatted her behind and got away from her before she could retaliate.

"I will get you for that!" she yelled.

Robin gave a mischievous chuckle. _"That's_ something to look forward to. I'll see you upstairs when you're done."

A pile of something was shoved into her hands and she supposed they were her clothes. Robin had a tendency to scatter them to the four corners of the room and she was grateful he collected them for her. She accepted them.

"Here's the communicator." He took her hand and gently placed the palm sized radio in it. He took her other hand and gave her the walking cane. "Call if you need any help. You gonna to be alright?"

She nodded. As fiercely independent as she was, she liked it when Robin fussed over her a bit.

Starfire palmed the walking cane and grinned mischievously. When she felt his lips on her forehead, she extended the cane and moved like lightning, attempting to touch him with its tip. He dodged it with acrobatic precision, but she was expecting that. She double-backed and before he knew it, its tip was pressed to his calve.

The cane promptly burst out in song and Starfire sang with it, giggling madly and dancing a bit for effect. _"Everybody was Kung Foo Fighting! Those cats were fast as lighting!" _Her singing was bad, of course. If some people's voices made angels sing, so did Starfire's but only so they could drown out the God-awful sound. Thankfully, Carl Douglas' voice and music was loud enough to provide the tune. Further in the background was Barry White with his commentary about how Robin probably _didn't_ kill your brother, father or master, but that he could still kick serious ass. Meanwhile, Starfire continued to sing horrendously. _"In fact it was a little bit frightening, but they fought with expert timing…"_

"Argh!" was Robin's predictable response. Ever since Starfire learned about what the cane had to say about Robin, she couldn't get enough of it. She delighted in surprising him with it and since she did it so often, he had began to see it as a test of reflex. Most times, she couldn't get him, but there were those rare moments that she got what she wanted and it drove him insane.

This time was no different. Robin jumped Starfire, sitting on her while he tickled her senseless.

Starfire was strong, but he had a way of keeping himself in place and she couldn't push him off. She shrieked with laughter until she looked so winded that she didn't even need to plead for him to stop. He let her go, laughing in spite of himself.

"God, I hate that song," he said, grinning.

She gasped for breath, rolling on her side to curl up into a ball. She smirked. "Even when I sing it?"

"Kori, I love you, but _especially_ when you sing it."

She stuck her tongue out at him again. Of course she knew that she was no song bird, but she did not have to admit that to Robin. She preferred to drive him crazy. She wrapped the blankets around her more securely and motioned to get up. She was held back when she felt Robin's grip around her wrist.

"Kori, I couldn't be with you in Gotham the whole time. Three weeks is too long to be away from Jump City. I have to come back here, probably every three days or so, and stay here for five days before I go back there."

She sighed. She figured it would be something like that. As much as it disappointed her, she understood why it had to be that way. "I will miss you when I'm alone in that ridiculously big house."

His arms were around her, his chin resting on her shoulder. "Well, I'll miss you when I'm alone in this ridiculously big tower."

She felt at least that she was entitled to _some_ pouting. "You will not be alone. You will have everyone else with you."

"I couldn't kiss and cuddle with Beast Boy, could I?"

"He _is _the cuddliest one, though, especially when he's a Bengal tiger."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't just hear you imply that you _do _cuddle with Beast Boy." He sighed, stroking her arms reassuringly. "I may not be there all the time, but I _will_ be there when it's time to find out if the operation worked. I promise you that."

She nodded, smiling. His promise would have to suffice. "It would be wonderful if the operation worked and your face is the first thing I see."

"Then it's official. I'll have a zit on my face the size of—"

She giggled. "Oh, hush Richard. Don't ruin it."

His embrace tightened and then he let her go, leaving the bed. He gave her a leisurely kiss and Starfire thought she could get him to stay for another half-hour, but he pulled back, probably wise to her little seductions and laughed softly. Again, he told her he would see her upstairs before he finally left.

Alone, Starfire finally allowed herself to consider the possibility that she would be able to see again. She let the hope surge as visions of sunsets and city lights against the sky line flashed in her memory.

She would see Robin again; and the rest of her friends. It was a sight she might have missed more than she realized.

She would see Alfred and Babs and hopefully Diana. Even Bruce Wayne would be a fascinating sight, for she had only seen his face in pictures. The world would seem brand new to her again and she thought that would be a glorious thing.

Indeed, if the operation failed, her disappointment would be great, but for these moments of pure hope, she would be willing to brave it.

She was Starfire, after all; mighty; fearless; Titan.

Hope lit her smile as she gathered her things and got ready to leave for Gotham.

_End, Part one._

* * *

_Coming up "Guiding Star: Path to Tamaran"_

Closing notes: Hehe. On to part two, yes? It's going to be fun! No point in saying goodbye because there's still a lot ahead. I'll read you guys soon, okay? Check out my bios for my Writer's Cuts. Again, I warn you of its contents. Ready your bottle of Clorox. It's _ugly. _

Also, read my thanks.


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